misuse and corruption in sciencea briefing document |
||
|
misuse and corruption in science is one of a series of documents demonstrating how corruption of information, often by government, industry and science, affects modern society and its progress. misuse and corruption in science |
|
||
introductionScientific research and results are frequently, at best, misleading and, often, down-right corrupt. This is because scientists, their professional sponsors, big business, non-governmental organisations and government vie to publish reports and results that put the authors, the sponsors, the company, its products, the government’s actions, in the best light. The butt of all this deceit is the general public, trusting of authority figures, titles such as Doctor or Professor, and people in white lab-coats. In the end, for all concerned to obfuscate, it is a matter of This document provides examples of such corruption, falsification of results, biasing of conclusions. so-called peer review
Most ‘journals’ are in the hands of a very few large corporations. The pharmaceutical industry (and others) are vastly profitable. The average French person consumes 7 times as many tranquillisers as a Briton, 3 times the antidepressants of an Italian and 2 time the sleeping pills of a German. In recent times, the French medical system was rated the best in the world! Observe the recommendations on the covers of best-sellers: Buy a first-class crap detector! pharmaceutical industry and academia
Even in the linked article we have:
|
the unhealthy relationship between ‘science’ and funding
This is not an occasional or isolated incident, nor is this the only method by which scientrific research can be rendered unreliable. Other ‘ploys’ include the narrow base for ‘peer’ review, the corporate control of ‘journals’, and links between universities and corporate funding. Peer review can also become an excuse for maintaining currently fashionable views amongst small, incestuous cliques, unbacked by serious empirical studies. Nor is it just in the USA that serious scientific research is severely tainted by related industries and by politicans. The US administration also practises selective ‘science’. See also establishment psycho-bunk 2 —Ritalin and junk science
does Bush prefer patrons to science?
contention growing over accusations that bush administration politicising science There are several useful links in this report.
|
‘scientific’ nonsenseA widely applied rule used since the 1960s for the erosion of beaches that does not work:
A ‘expert’ witness who caused people to be jailed on dubious ‘evidence’:
A commonly heard saying regarding so-called experts used in court-room litigation is, “Opinions for hire”. |
more alleged government corruption in the usa: tuna and foetal brain damage
|
who and what can you believe? tuna fish and a lot more...
The item includes 14 examples, each expounded under headings of We have recently reported on tuna and foetal brain damage, in the context of research results endorsed by the US government being slanted to benefit continued profits of industry. Following is the final comments on pregnant women eating tuna from our headline link.
The many vested interests, not just in industry and the media, but also in research and governmental supervision, wish to create reactions ranging from neurotisism to panic in order to justify their existence and ensure their wage checks. |
Related further reading |
Corporate
corruption, politics and the law |
email email_abelard [at] abelard.org © abelard, 2004 ,2 april the address for this document is https://www.abelard.org/briefings/science-corruption.asp 2030 words |
latest | abstracts | briefings | information | headlines | resources | interesting | about abelard |