CORRESPONDENCE |Vol 441|22 June 2006

Misconduct: lack of action It is misleading to suggest that high-profile If it is not responsible for, or is too busy to researchers could be persecuted through investigate, the researchers it funds, then surely provokes web accusations accusations made against them on the such behaviour is tolerated and endorsed? Internet, or to compare this to the Cultural The story has a sad ending. When SIR — As the webmaster of New Threads Revolution. I witnessed the violence of the confronted, the senior author claimed to (www.xys.org) — the website “at the centre in my childhood. My have misplaced the primary data during a of concerns over claims of misconduct”, parents were abused by the Red Guard because move between laboratories. In addition, the according to your Special Report “Named of their family, education and professional co-corresponding author (who signed our and shamed” (Nature441, 392–393; 2006) — background. I cried when I saw crosses authorship agreement form upon acceptance, I cannot agree with your comment that marking their names in posters and cartoons. and who wrote to our office inquiring about “some fear persecution reminiscent of that The Cultural Revolution was a mass the publication date) later claimed never to used in the Cultural Revolution”. movement organized by the country’s leader have seen more than the title of the work and The Cultural Revolution was started by to crack down on his opponents. New Threads asked to be removed as a co-author. The Chairman Mao in 1966 and formally ended is just a platform without any official power: authors have now withdrawn their article. with his death in 1976. Although 30 years openness is the key to its success. It has become Alongside Xin-Yuan Fu and his 120 have passed, the memory of this calamity a portal for the grass roots who are ignored by co-signatories, I too eagerly await a response is still vivid in many Chinese minds — it is official channels, such as university authorities, from Chinese authorities on whether they understandable that some fear the tragedy when they report misconduct. Internet will establish a body to police misconduct. might someday recur. But it is ridiculous to debate and the resultant public attention Ushma Savla Neill compare free speech on the Internet to the can act as a warning to people attempting to Journal of Clinical Investigation, Columbia violence of the Cultural Revolution, which violate ethics. This is nothing like University College of Physicians and Surgeons, was controlled by a dictator, allowed for the horror of the Cultural Revolution. Box 57A, New York, New York 10032, USA no freedom and included governmental Zheng Huang persecution of ‘class enemies’. I find it ironic Radiation Oncology Department, University of that 120 Chinese-American scientists and Colorado at Denver and Health Center, self-appointed human-rights advocates Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA Education and training put have signed an open letter appealing to the Iran ahead of richer states Chinese government to suppress media and public opinions: they still need to learn what SIR — We read with interest your News free speech and human rights mean. Misconduct: Chinese report “Arab state pours oil profits into I agree that should establish an funding body unmoved ” (Nature441,132–133; 2006). Other official channel to investigate allegations countries in the Gulf have also tried to spend of misconduct. In fact, I made this suggestion SIR — I can believe you had difficulties oil money on setting up branches of Western as early as 2001, in a speech to the Chinese contacting the National Natural Science universities, which is of arguable value when students and scholars association at the Foundation of China (NSFC) for your Special the infrastructure and the basic prerequisites University of California, San Diego (see Report (Nature441, 392–393; 2006). As of scientific research do not exist. Educating www.xys.org/xys/netters/Fang-Zhouzi/ executive editor of the Journal of Clinical and training the personnel capable of doing science/yanjiang.txt). But before this channel Investigation, I recently attempted to contact research, as you describe in Qatar, is more exists, and to make sure it functions properly the NSFC to help us investigate an allegation important than spending on research and after it is established, free press and free of misconduct in a study the journal had buying sophisticated equipment. Focusing on speech are indispensable. accepted from Chinese authors. research and inviting scientists from overseas Shi-min Fang A whistle-blower’s e-mail from someone at may lead to some short-term results, but it New Threads Chinese Cultural Society, the authors’ institution indicated that data in does not guarantee sustainable development PO Box 26194, San Diego, California 92196, USA the study were fabricated. The authors had without a solid, internal educational base. collaborated with the dean of their university, Iran is a good example of a country that has so we were unsure whether contacting the made considerable advances through focusing institution would result in an unbiased on education and training. Despite sanctions Misconduct: exposure is investigation. As China does not have a in almost all aspects of research during the not like Cultural Revolution supervisory body akin to the US Office of past 27 years, Persian scientists have been Research Integrity, we thought the NSFC — producing cutting-edge science. Their SIR — Your Special Report (Nature441, which had funded the study — would help. publication rate in international journals has 392–393; 2006) and Editorial “Finding Despite multiple e-mails, in English and in quadrupled during the past decade. Although fraud in China” (Nature441,549–550; 2006) Chinese, the NSFC did not respond. Through it is still low compared with the developed express deep concern about accusations of a personal contact, I was put in touch with the countries, this puts Iran in the first rank of scientific misconduct in China. You rightly director of the division that granted funding Islamic countries. point out that it should be the government’s to the senior author. After repeated e-mails, Considering the country’s brain drain greatest priority to crack down on scientific I received the following: “I received the letter and its poor political relationship with the misconduct, if it is rife. you written and we discussed the things West, Iran’s scientific community remains The New Threads website covers wide areas you written to him. We have to say it is very productive, even while economic sanctions such as and popular science. It is difficult for us to determine whether their make it hard for universities to purchase well known for posting accusations of all work is true. Because there are more than equipment or send people to the United types of scientific misconduct, and providing 50,000 proposals and about 10,000 grants States to attend scientific meetings. a forum for people to discuss their concerns. supported in the Foundation every year. So Mohammad Reza Mohebbi*, Mehri Mohebbi† There are good reasons for the popularity we think maybe you have to find other way *Department of Neurology, University of Texas of the website among intellectuals and the to make sure the thing.” Medical School, Houston, Texas 77030, USA general public. It is the motivation of those This statement indicates that the NSFC †Center for Immigration Research, University of condemning it that needs to be questioned. does not prioritize the policing of misconduct. Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, USA

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