Special notice to readers and authors on scientific misconduct.

摘要

We were informed earlier in 2009 that Baystate Medical Center (Baystate) at Tufts University in Boston had conducted an investigation, pursuant to their Policy on Misconduct in Research and Scholarly Activities, regarding a number of research studies conducted by Dr. Scott Reuben. These proceedings were part of the Baystate Medical Review Process, which is confidential and privileged under Massachusetts law. The Baystate investigation determined that, "Dr. Reuben fabricated data reported in the referenced articles and that all fabricated data were created under the sole discretion of Dr. Reuben." The complete list of articles (Appendix) spans a period of 12 years of scientific investigation from 1996 to 2008. A series of retraction notices has been issued in the affected journals. Drs. Eisenach, Shafer, and White et al. have written several excellent editorials highlighting the broader implications regarding the unimpeached literature and the damage to the body of scientific knowledge resulting from this extensive data fabrication and article retraction.