NOT-OD-01-004: FINDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC MISCONDUCT

Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS)
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FINDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC MISCONDUCT

Release Date:  October 19, 2000

NOTICE:  OD-01-004

Department of Health and Human Services

Notice is hereby given that the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) and the 
Assistant Secretary for Health have taken final action in the following case:

Randall P. French, Ph.D., Fox Chase Cancer Center: Based on the report of an 
investigation conducted by the Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC) and additional 
analysis conducted by ORI in its oversight review, the U.S. Public Health 
Service (PHS) finds that Dr. French, postdoctoral associate, FCCC, engaged in 
scientific misconduct by fabricating published research supported by National 
Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), grants T32 
CA09035 and P30 CA06927.

Specifically, Dr. French fabricated research results published in 
Developmental Biology 217:62-76, 2000, by falsely claiming in the text and 
Table 1 that he had assayed mouse embryos transgenic for a modified DNA 
construct (cG5/lacZ-F) for a study on the expression of cGATA-5 transcription 
factor during heart development in mice.  An erratum replacing the fabricated 
data was published by the authors in Developmental Biology 223:463, 2000.

Dr. French has accepted the PHS finding and has entered into a Voluntary 
Exclusion Agreement with PHS in which he has voluntarily agreed for a period 
of three (3) years, beginning on September 28, 2000:

(1) to exclude himself from serving in any advisory capacity to PHS, including 
but not limited to service on any PHS advisory committee, board, and/or peer 
review committee,

(2) that any institution that submits an application for PHS support for a 
research project on which Dr. French"s participation is proposed or that uses 
Dr. French in any capacity on PHS supported research, or that submits a report 
of PHS-funded research in which Dr. French is involved, must concurrently 
submit a plan for supervision of his duties to the funding agency for 
approval.  The supervisory plan must be designed to ensure the scientific 
integrity of Dr. French"s research contribution.  The institution must also 
submit a copy of the supervisory plan to ORI.

INQUIRIES

For further information contact:
Director
Division of Investigative Oversight
Office of Research Integrity

5515 Security Lane, Suite 700
Rockville, MD  20852
Telephone:  (301) 443-5330
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