NOT-99-005: FINDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC MISCONDUCT

Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS)

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FINDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC MISCONDUCT Release Date: January 20, 1999 P.T. Department of Health and Human Services Notice is hereby given that the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) has made a final finding of scientific misconduct in the following case: Saptarshi Paul, Ph.D., Fox Chase Cancer Center: Based on a report forwarded to the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) by Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC), Institute for Cancer Research, dated July 28, 1997, Dr. Paul’s admissions, and information obtained by ORI during its oversight review, ORI found that Dr. Paul, former research associate, Molecular Oncology Division, FCCC, engaged in scientific misconduct in biomedical research funded by a National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant. This project seeks improvements in cancer treatment through the development of agents that fight cellular resistance to drugs. Specifically, Dr. Paul falsified an experiment on the uptake of all-trans retinoic acid (ATR) by HL60 cells conducted by several researchers during July 1997. Although this experiment was not published, the discovery of the falsified data led to admissions by Dr. Paul that he had altered an experiment and an acknowledgment that publications would need to be retracted. Several publications were retracted in whole or in part, and portions of two grant applications were retracted. Dr. Paul has accepted the ORI finding and has entered into a Voluntary Exclusion Agreement with ORI in which he has voluntarily agreed, for the three (3) year period beginning December 18, 1998: (1) to exclude himself from any contracting or subcontracting with any agency of the United States Government and from eligibility for, or involvement in nonprocurement transactions (e.g., grants and cooperative agreements) of the United States Government as defined in 45 C.F.R. Part 76 (Debarment Regulations), and (2) to exclude himself from serving in any advisory capacity to the Public Health Service (PHS), including but not limited to service on any PHS advisory committee, board, and/or peer review committee, or as a consultant. INQUIRIES For further information contact: Acting Director Division of Research Investigations Office of Research Integrity 5515 Security Lane, Suite 700 Rockville, MD 20852 Telephone: (301) 443-5330

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