[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 123 (Tuesday, June 25, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32826-32827]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-16102]



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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 final findings of scientific misconduct in the following 
case:
    Robert J. Altman, M.D., University of California at San Francisco 
(UCSF): Based on an investigation conducted by the institution as well 
as information obtained by ORI during its oversight review, ORI found 
that Robert J. Altman, M.D., Research Fellow, Department of Obstetrics, 
Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, UCSF, committed scientific 
misconduct by fabricating and falsifying data in research supported by 
two National Institutes of Health grants.
    Specifically, Dr. Altman fabricated an experiment related to an 
ovarian cell line injected intraperitoneally into 12 nude mice. The 
resulting data were reported in (1) a manuscript in page proof entitled 
``Inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor arrests growth of 
ovarian cancer in an intraperitoneal model'' (Journal of the National 
Cancer Institute); (2) a manuscript entitled ``Vascular endothelial 
growth factor is essential for human ovarian carcinoma growth in 
vivo,'' submitted to the Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI 
manuscript); and (3) a published abstract entitled ``Vascular 
endothelial growth factor is essential for ovarian cancer growth in 
vivo'' (Society for Gynecologic Investigation, abstract #079). Further, 
in the JCI manuscript, Dr. Altman (1) falsified the number of subjects 
with ovarian tumors from whom he obtained sections of tissue for 
examination of the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor 
(VEGF) purportedly by both in situ hybridization and 
immunohistochemistry, and (2) falsely reported that VEGF expression was 
examined by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry in papillary 
serous- (n=7) and mucinous- (n=5) cystadenocarcinomas, when the number 
of surgical cases involving papillary serous tumors was four and the 
number of mucinous tumors was zero. Dr. Altman examined VEGF expression 
in only three papillary serous tumor specimens, one specimen both 
in situ and by immunohistochemistry and the remaining two 
solely by immunohistochemistry.
    Dr. Altman has entered into a Voluntary Exclusion Agreement with 
ORI in which he has voluntarily agreed, for the three (3) year period 
beginning June 11, 1996, to exclude himself from:
    (1) 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) 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.
    The above voluntary exclusion shall not apply to Dr. Altman's 
future training

[[Page 32827]]

or practice of clinical medicine whether as a medical student, 
resident, fellow, or licensed practitioner, as the case may be, unless 
that practice involves research or research training.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Director, Division of Research 
Investigations, Office of Research Integrity, 5515 Security Lane, Suite 
700, Rockville, MD 20852.
Chris B. Pascal,
Acting Director, Office of Research Integrity.
[FR Doc. 96-16102 Filed 6-24-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-17-P