From a Justice Department press release two weeks in the past (I realized concerning the case simply right this moment from the superb Science Fictions podcast [Tom Chivers & Stuart Ritchie] [formerly The Studies Show], one of many few podcasts to which I pay to subscribe):
Dana-Farber Most cancers Institute Inc. (Dana-Farber) has agreed to pay $15,000,000 to resolve allegations that, between 2014 and 2024, it violated the False Claims Act by making materially false statements and certifications associated to Nationwide Institutes of Well being (NIH) analysis grants….
As a part of the settlement, Dana-Farber admitted that its researchers used funds from six NIH grants to conduct analysis that resulted in 14 publications in scientific journals containing misrepresented and/or duplicated photos and information. The publications reused photos to signify completely different experimental circumstances; duplicated photos to signify completely different testing circumstances, mice, and/or timepoints; or rotated, magnified, or stretched photos. Additional, Dana-Farber admitted {that a} supervising researcher didn’t train adequate oversight over these researchers, and that Dana-Farber spent funds from these six NIH grants that had been unallowable.
As a part of the settlement, Dana-Farber additionally admitted that one other researcher acquired 4 NIH grants after submitting grant purposes that mentioned a journal article authored by the researcher however didn’t disclose that sure photos and information in that article had been misrepresented and/or duplicated. America contends that Dana-Farber brought about the submission of false claims to NIH by falsely certifying compliance with grant phrases and circumstances, spending grant funds on unallowable bills, and acquiring grants by way of false and deceptive statements.
Dana-Farber cooperated with the federal government on this matter and acquired credit score underneath the Division’s tips for taking disclosure, cooperation, and remediation under consideration in False Claims Act circumstances. Amongst different actions, Dana-Farber summarized voluminous supplies related to the federal government’s investigation, voluntarily disclosed extra allegations of analysis misconduct related to the federal government’s investigation, voluntarily produced supplies with no subpoena, sought to resolve this matter expeditiously, accepted duty for its conduct, and carried out remedial measures.
The civil settlement contains the decision of claims introduced underneath the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Sholto David. Below these provisions, a personal get together can file an motion on behalf of america and obtain a portion of any restoration. David will obtain $2,625,000 underneath right this moment’s settlement….
You possibly can see the Settlement Agreement for extra particulars, together with a listing of the 14 doubtlessly affected publications and their authors.
