[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 9, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15806-15807]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-8685]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Office of the Secretary
Findings of Scientific Misconduct
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Office of Research Integrity
(ORI) has made final findings of scientific misconduct in the following
case:
James H. Abbs, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison: Based on an
investigation conducted by the Division of Research Investigations, ORI
found that James H. Abbs, Ph.D., engaged in scientific misconduct by
falsifying and fabricating certain figures and research results
supported by Public Health Service (PHS) grants P01 NS13274 and P30
HD03352 and reported in ``Orofacial motor control impairment in
Parkinson's disease'' (Neurology 37:394-398, 1987) (Neurology paper).
ORI found that Dr. Abbs falsified Figure 1 in the Neurology paper,
which displays orofacial motor control instability in a Parkinson's
disease patient reported as non-tremorous, by (1) tracing the waveforms
from those of a tremorous patient that had previously been published as
Figure 6 in the Journal of Speech and Hearing Research (26:616-621,
1983); (2) eliminating the apparent tremors from the waveforms depicted
in Figure 6; (3) falsifying the standard force levels and structures
from those of Figure 6; and (4) misrepresenting the identity of the
actual subject reported in Figure 1. ORI also found that Dr. Abbs
falsified and fabricated the data for Figures 2 and 4 in the Neurology
paper by (1) falsifying the number of trials run on each subject; (2)
misrepresenting the number of measurements made on each of the
waveforms; and (3) fabricating the numbers used to calculate the force
instability results presented for Figure 2. Dr. Abbs used the same
fabricated numbers in Figure 4.
To avoid the uncertainty and expense of litigation, Dr. Abbs and
ORI agreed to resolve the case through a negotiated settlement
(Agreement), which the parties agreed shall not be construed as an
admission of liability or wrongdoing on the part of Dr. Abbs. As part
of the Agreement, Dr. Abbs submitted a letter to ORI in which he
addresses each of ORI's findings and explains in more detail the
reasons for his decision to settle this matter on these terms. Dr. Abbs
has agreed not to appeal ORI's jurisdiction or its findings and has
further voluntarily agreed:
(1) To exclude himself voluntarily 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, or as a
consultant for a period of three (3) years beginning on March 28, 1996;
(2) That any institution which submits an application for PHS
support for a research project that proposes Dr. Abbs' participation or
that uses Dr. Abbs in any capacity on PHS supported research, or that
submits a report of PHS funded research in which Dr. Abbs is involved,
must concurrently submit a plan for supervision of Dr. Abbs' duties,
designed to ensure the scientific integrity of Dr. Abbs' research, for
a period of three (3) years beginning on March 28, 1996;
(3) That any institution employing Dr. Abbs be required to submit,
in conjunction with each application for PHS funds or report of PHS
funded research in which Dr. Abbs is involved, a certification that the
data provided by Dr. Abbs are based on actual experiments or are
otherwise legitimately derived and that the data, procedures, and
methodology are accurately reported in the application or research
report for a period of three (3) years beginning on March 28, 1996; and
(4) To submit a letter to the journal Neurology advising it of
ORI's request to retract the Neurology paper.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Director, Division of Research Investigations, Office of Research
[[Page 15807]]
Integrity, 5515 Security Lane, Suite 700, Rockville, MD 20852.
Lawrence J. Rhoades,
Acting Director, Office of Research Integrity.
[FR Doc. 96-8685 Filed 4-8-96; 8:45 am]
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