The case concerns a scientific article in which Paolo Macchiarini is one of the authors. The issue was discovered during a review that the university is conducting to detect scientific misconduct.
The current case concerns a scientific article published in the journal Respiration in late November, 2015. There are ambiguities in the article, including about ethical approvals, among other things.
“I received the case on my desk last week. We have analyzed it and will demand answers from the researchers involved. After that, we will decide if we will submit the matter for external review,” says Henrik Grönberg, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Karolinska Institutet.
Karolinska University Hospital has been informed about the case.
How KI investigates cases of suspected scientific misconduct
According to Sweden’s Higher Education Ordinance, it is the university at which the suspicion of scientific misconduct exists that investigates the issue.
- A case is opened, for example, through a submitted complaint.
- KI's lawyers receive the case for processing.All parties involved are contacted and are given the opportunity to comment and respond to the complaint.
- Based on the complaint and on the responses received, KI assesses whether the case should be sent for external expert review. This is done either by an external auditor appointed by the Vice-Chancellor or by the Central Ethical Review Board of the Swedish Research Council.
- The conclusions of the external expert review are sent to those who submitted the complaint and to the subject/s of the complaint, who may submit comments.
- The Vice-Chancellor makes a decision on whether or not scientific misconduct has taken place
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