title: Research integrity and conflicts of interest: the case of unethical research-misconduct charges filed by Edward Calabrese.
abstract: Special-interest polluters often file research-misconduct (RM) charges against scientists whose research suggests needed pollutant regulation. This article argues that U.S. RM regulations are flawed in requiring RM assessors/experts/accused, but not accusers, to reveal possible conflicts of interest (COI) that could affect RM allegations. It (1) summarizes U.S. RM regulatory history; (2) uses a case study about 2011 RM allegations, filed by chemical-industry-funded toxicologist Edward Calabrese, to illustrate problems with RM regulations; and (3) offers 4 arguments in favor of revising RM regulations so as to require RM-accuser revelation of possible COI and who funded preparation of the RM allegations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Philosophy and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA. Kristin.Shrader-Frechette.1@ND.edu
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shrader-Frechette
mesh_terms: D016265:Conflict of Interest / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008192:Deception; D032984:Ethics, Research; D033161:Government Regulation; D006801:Humans; D017712:Peer Review, Research; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000941:ethics; D015871:Scientific Misconduct / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014481:United States