Scientific fraud: the allegations against a pivotal Alzheimer’s study

Cosmos Magazine

Cosmos

Cosmos is a quarterly science magazine. We aim to inspire curiosity in ‘The Science of Everything’ and make the world of science accessible to everyone.

By Cosmos

Nearly two decades of Alzheimer’s research could be based on a paper that lied about its findings.  

A six-month investigation doubts the legitimacy of a pivotal Alzheimer’s study and has called into question the process of making sure published science is credible and reliable. 

Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Clare Kenyon about how serious these allegations are and exactly where in the scientific process things may have fallen apart.

“This is one of a number of high-profile scientific controversies that have emerged lately and have collectively undermined the faith of both the academic community and the public in how scientific research is vetted and verified,” says Kenyon.

“It leads us to question peer review’s role in ensuring academic integrity, asking has it failed and if so, what can be done in the future to avoid such failures?”

Read Claire’s features on the nature of peer review and what happens when it goes wrong in Issue #76 of Cosmos Weekly.

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