[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 1 (Monday, January 4, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 169]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-34760]


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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 a final finding of scientific misconduct in the 
following case:
    Saptarshi Paul, Ph.D., Fox Chase Cancer Center: Based on a report 
forwarded to the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) by Fox Chase Cancer 
Center (FCCC), Institute for Cancer Research, dated July 28, 1997, Dr. 
Paul's admissions, and information obtained by ORI during its oversight 
review, ORI found that Dr. Paul, former research associate, Molecular 
Oncology Division, FCCC, engaged in scientific misconduct in biomedical 
research funded by a National Cancer Institute (NCI), National 
Institutes of Health (NIH), grant. This project seeks improvements in 
cancer treatment through the development of agents that fight cellular 
resistance to drugs.
    Specifically, Dr. Paul falsified an experiment on the uptake of 
all-trans retinoic acid (ATR) by HL60 cells conducted by several 
researchers during July 1997. Although this experiment was not 
published, the discovery of the falsified data led to admissions by Dr. 
Paul that he had altered an experiment and an acknowledgment that 
publications would need to be retracted. Several publications were 
retracted in whole or in part, and portions of two grant applications 
were retracted.
    Dr. Paul has accepted the ORI finding and has entered into a 
Voluntary Exclusion Agreement with ORI in which he has voluntarily 
agreed, for the three (3) year period beginning December 18, 1998:
    (1) To exclude himself from any contracting or subcontracting with 
any agency of the United States Government and from eligibility for, or 
involvement in nonprocurement transactions (e.g., grants and 
cooperative agreements) of the United States Government as defined in 
45 C.F.R. Part 76 (Debarment Regulations); and
    (2) To exclude himself from serving in any advisory capacity to the 
Public Health Service (PHS), including but not limited to service on 
any PHS advisory committee, board, and/or peer review committee, or as 
a consultant.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Acting Director, Division of Research 
Investigations, Office of Research Integrity, 5515 Security Lane, Suite 
700, Rockville, MD 20852, (301) 443-5330
Chris B. Pascal,
Acting Director, Office of Research Integrity.
[FR Doc. 98-34760 Filed 12-31-98; 8:45 am]
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