"Science investigators uncover extensive ethics violations at prestigious French institute."
In a recent investigation, it has been revealed that French microbiologist Didier Raoult, a prolific scientist known for his work in infectious diseases, was involved in massive ethics violations at the Hospital Institute of Marseille Mediterranean Infection (IHU) in France. The American Society for Microbiology retracted seven studies conducted by Raoult and his colleagues due to a lack of review by France's national ethical committees, violating French law and the Declaration of Helsinki, an international ethics document for clinical research.
Raoult, who gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic for downplaying its severity and promoting hydroxychloroquine as a treatment, faced criticism from a group of persistent critics led by Lonni Besançon, a computer scientist, and Fabrice Frank, an IT consultant. These critics not only challenged the quality of research coming out of the IHU but also raised concerns about ethical lapses dating back 15 years.
The investigations into Raoult's work exposed a pattern of improper ethical approvals for studies involving vulnerable populations, such as homeless people and refugees, and using the same approval code for multiple papers. Critics like Elisabeth Bik, a scientific integrity sleuth, and Victor Garcia, a journalist, uncovered instances of ethical breaches and lack of proper oversight in Raoult's research, leading to retractions and expressions of concern from journals like Scientific Reports and PLOS.
Despite the mounting evidence of ethical violations, Raoult has maintained that his research on human waste materials is not subject to French bioethics law. However, experts like Philippe Amiel, a lawyer specializing in human experimentation, argue that these studies should have received approval from independent ethics committees.
The IHU's close ties to political powers in France and the lackluster institutional response to the ethical breaches have raised questions about the effectiveness of the country's research ethics laws and oversight mechanisms. Critics have faced legal threats and harassment from Raoult and his supporters, highlighting the challenges of holding influential scientists and institutions accountable for research misconduct.
Moving forward, there are calls for a comprehensive overhaul of France's research ethics laws and a stronger commitment to ensuring the integrity of scientific research. The ongoing investigations and retractions underscore the importance of robust ethical oversight and transparency in scientific studies to uphold the trust and credibility of the scientific community.
(Source: https://www.science.org/content/article/failure-every-level-how-science-sleuths-exposed-massive-ethics-violations-famed-french)
Raoult, who gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic for downplaying its severity and promoting hydroxychloroquine as a treatment, faced criticism from a group of persistent critics led by Lonni Besançon, a computer scientist, and Fabrice Frank, an IT consultant. These critics not only challenged the quality of research coming out of the IHU but also raised concerns about ethical lapses dating back 15 years.
The investigations into Raoult's work exposed a pattern of improper ethical approvals for studies involving vulnerable populations, such as homeless people and refugees, and using the same approval code for multiple papers. Critics like Elisabeth Bik, a scientific integrity sleuth, and Victor Garcia, a journalist, uncovered instances of ethical breaches and lack of proper oversight in Raoult's research, leading to retractions and expressions of concern from journals like Scientific Reports and PLOS.
Despite the mounting evidence of ethical violations, Raoult has maintained that his research on human waste materials is not subject to French bioethics law. However, experts like Philippe Amiel, a lawyer specializing in human experimentation, argue that these studies should have received approval from independent ethics committees.
The IHU's close ties to political powers in France and the lackluster institutional response to the ethical breaches have raised questions about the effectiveness of the country's research ethics laws and oversight mechanisms. Critics have faced legal threats and harassment from Raoult and his supporters, highlighting the challenges of holding influential scientists and institutions accountable for research misconduct.
Moving forward, there are calls for a comprehensive overhaul of France's research ethics laws and a stronger commitment to ensuring the integrity of scientific research. The ongoing investigations and retractions underscore the importance of robust ethical oversight and transparency in scientific studies to uphold the trust and credibility of the scientific community.
(Source: https://www.science.org/content/article/failure-every-level-how-science-sleuths-exposed-massive-ethics-violations-famed-french)
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