In what experts are calling perhaps the largest academic fraud ever perpetrated, Dr. Scott S. Reuben, an anesthesiologist who practiced at Bay State Medical Center has admitted that the clinical trials he purported to have performed never happened. The fraud has widespread implications both academically and practically since 21 journal articles were written based upon the phantom clinical findings. Additionally and perhaps more importantly, doctors relied on his findings to make decisions about prescriptions.
According to an article in the Boston Globe, many of Reuben’s studies were largely underwritten by Pfizer whose painkiller Celebrex was included in those studies.
“When researchers are beholden to companies for much of their income, there is an incredible tendency to get results that are favorable to the company,” said Dr. Jerome Kassirer, a former editor of The New England Journal of Medicine and the author of a book about conflicts of interest.
Unfortunately, this is a huge blow for consumer safety as well as clinical research. Reuben was not an insignificant player in the research field and his bogus findings will set the industry back considerably. “He was one of the most prolific investigators in the area of postoperative pain management,” Dr. Shafer said. His fraud “sets back our knowledge in the field tremendously.” Shafer is the editor in chief of of Anesthesia & Analgesia, which published many of Reuben’s findings.
At this point, no one is certain the motive behind Reuben’s fraud. What we do know is that he should be held accountable. He put patients at risk and gave doctors information that was not based on anything but deception, putting lives potentially at risk.