Scandal around fake study at the hospital

Forgery scandal at Klinikum Ludwigshafen: Procuratorate determined.

At the Ludwigshafen Hospital, a professor from Ludwigshafen is said to have manipulated at least one scientific study, according to the statement of a commission of inquiry convened by the hospital. The former chief anesthetist could not dispel the doubts and the Commission had found no evidence that any such study was carried out.

After the doctor at the end of 2009, a study on the effect of two infusion solutions for heart surgery in a heart-lung machine in the American trade magazine „Anesthesia & analgesia“ Published several times, several readers immediately reported to the editor of the newspaper and complained that for certain values ​​a strikingly low dispersion was present. Subsequent research revealed that of the two tested so-called plasma expanders - hydroxyethyl starch (HES) and albumin solution - the latter could not have been used at all. As a result, the commission of inquiry did not find any evidence that even a study had taken place. In view of the falsification scandal, Klinikum Ludwigshafen has left the former chief anesthesiologist. Now, however, the approximately 300 other scientific work of the physician are to be examined more closely. Eike Martin, Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry and Director of the Department of Anaesthesiology at the University Hospital Heidelberg, explained in advance: „I suppose it's the tip of an iceberg“, even if the case is so far unique in German anaesthesiology.

In addition to the fact that one of the plasma expanders could not be used, the commission of inquiry determined that the physician had also falsified the signatures of co-authors in the study and had not obtained the prescribed consent of the patients. In addition, he had not submitted the study as prescribed to an ethics committee. It is about one „clear violation of the medical code“ evaluated the State Medical Association of Rhineland-Palatinate the current case and therefore not only examines its own consequences for the physician, but has also turned on the prosecutor. Among other things, this will now investigate an indictment for document falsification because the signatures of the CO authors were forged. According to information from the state medical association and the Ludwigshafen hospital, patients were not harmed by the machinations of the physician, but a large damage to the image of the hospital was caused.

The problem is that Klinikum Ludwigshafen is by no means alone, because in the past several researchers have been transferred to the forgery of studies. Under the pressure to publish as many studies as possible in order to acquire corresponding research funds and to enhance the evaluation of one's own institution, possibly also a little out of personal ambition, studies have already been presented in a variety of disciplines that have never taken place. The researchers are sometimes under enormous strain, especially at the universities, because they should not only research and publish but at the same time still carry out a teaching assignment. Thus, the lack of time in the causes of counterfeiting plays a not insignificant role. (fp, 01.12.2010)