Misconduct in medical research: does it exist in Britain?

A nonsystematic survey of plagiarism, misrepresentation, and fraud in British medical research found that such cases are known to only a few people, that little of the published work is retracted, and that few institutions have any formal mechanism for dealing with instances of medical misconduct. The author believes that the problem is considerably larger than indicated by the survey, particularly in the area of drug trials in district hospitals without academic connections. He urges action by individual institutions, professional organizations, and local ethics committees strengthened by legal representatives.