FINDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC MISCONDUCT

Release Date:  June 18, 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:

Robert P. Liburdy, Ph.D., Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory:  Based on an
investigation report by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) dated
July 7, 1995, and an analysis of the data and information from Dr. Liburdy
obtained by ORI during its oversight review, ORI found that Dr. Liburdy,
former staff biochemist at LBNL, engaged in scientific misconduct in
biomedical research by intentionally falsifying and fabricating data
and claims about the purported cellular effects of electric and magnetic
fields (EMF) that were reported in two scientific papers:  (1) Liburdy, R.P. 
"Biological interactions of cellular systems with time-varying magnetic
fields.  Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 649:74-95, 1992 ("ANYAS
paper"); and (2) Liburdy, R.P.  "Calcium signaling in lymphocytes and ELF
fields."  FEBS Letters 301:53-59, 1992 (the "FEBS Letters paper"). 
The ANYAS and FEBS Letters papers were supported by a National Cancer
Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant.

The ANYAS and FEBS Letters papers reported data indicating that EMF exert a
biological effect by altering the entry of calcium across a cell's surface
membrane.  EMF, which are ubiquitous forms of radiation that arise from
diverse sources such as power lines, home wiring, and household appliances,
have been of public concern for potential health effects.  Dr. Liburdy's
claims were potentially very important when published in 1992 because they
purported to link EMF and calcium signaling, a fundamental cell process
governing many important cellular functions.

Dr. Liburdy has entered into Voluntary Exclusion Agreement with ORI.  As part
of this Agreement, Dr. Liburdy neither admits nor denies ORI's finding of
scientific misconduct. The settlement is not an admission of liability on the
part of the respondent. As part of the Voluntary Exclusion Agreement, Dr.
Liburdy has voluntarily agreed:  

(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) for the three (3) year period beginning May 28, 1999;

(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 for the
three (3) year period beginning May 28, 1999; and

(3) to submit letters to the journals ANYAS and FEBS Letters, requesting
retraction of Figure 12 of the ANYAS paper and of Figures 6 and 7 of the FEBS
Letters paper within 30 days of the date of the agreement.

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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