Protecting against data fraud

Companies take a variety of measures to prevent or catch data manipulation, but the key is simple: repeat experiments at separate sites and with separate investigators. Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s encounter with data manipulation by a researcher at partner Novartis demonstrated the value of following this basic tenet of science. Last week, the company was able to report having a large body of independent animal data to rely on as it moves forward with clinical trials of the compounds affected by the incident (see BioCentury Extra, March 17).

To unearth data manipulation, companies depend on everything from audits of the work performed by companies they contract with to the principle that the scientific process itself guards against fraud...