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The most prestigious medical journal of the United States, the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), on Wednesday withdrew an article on stem cell research because of manipulation. Thirty articles by the principal author would be fraudulent.
In an extraordinary statement, the Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women affiliated hospital in Boston this week accused Dr. Piero Anversa, a former laboratory director in these institutions, of "falsifying and / or inventing data "in 31 published research articles.
The institutions said they asked the journals that published the articles to remove them. A retraction, in the world of research, is the worst disavowal that can happen to a researcher. It sanctions major problems, whether intentional or not.
In this case, the article retracted by the NEJM had made a big noise in 2011. Dr. Anversa described the discovery of stem cells crucial for the regeneration of the lungs, which opened the way, according to him, to new treatments for those who suffer from chronic lung diseases.
A first article withdrawn in 2014
The researcher had also multiplied the "discoveries" on stem cells in the heart, gaining notoriety and power in this area, which in turn had allowed him to receive tens of millions of dollars of public subsidies.
But for several years, the doubt was mounting on the reality of these works. Other researchers have failed to replicate its results. Articles were corrected, and a retraction had already taken place in 2014, in the American Heart Association's journal, "Circulation." From now on, thirty others could be added.
"A fundamental principle of science is that all published articles must be based on rigorous research practices. When these practices deviate from the norms, the consequences are serious for all science. The scientific community is interdependent and depends on the rigor and good faith of the researchers, "added in a joint statement Harvard and Brigham and Women.
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