LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor, I would like to pass comment on the article featured in your March/April Edition about research fraud. As a professor I found it of great interest and thank you for exposing this topic. It is a frightening, yet all too common occurrence. Clearly, those involved in misconduct either in the form of plagiarism; falsification and fabrication lack ethics and have no place in research or medicine. The concept of research fraud is cheating; it is misguiding our profession and misleading the public. It undermines the public’s trust in medical research and ultimately doctors. Although there is greater response from journals to detect scientific fraud, this is still a slow process and there are still plenty of cases that are likely to go undetected or even unreported.
Dear Editor, Thank you for sending me bi-monthly copies of your magazine. The articles are well written and you seem to cover topics that are relevant to our profession.
There needs to be a stricter code of good practice and a body of independents to investigate allegations.
You seem to raise issues in a way that clearly fills a gap. For me personally, the ones relevant to starting out in private practice have been especially valuable. They have helped reinforce ideas and strategies for my business, but have also identified areas of complacency and development (marketing).
Sincerely,
For this I thank you.
Prof. F.R., VIC
Dr. R.F., VIC
Dear Editor, It’s not difficult to see why some doctors are guilty of research fraud, particularly as the incentives for plagiarism are inadvertently enhanced when career advancement and financial rewards are linked with producing papers – often with the emphasis on speed and volume rather than quality. Best, Dr. S.T., WA
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