Dana-Farber Faces Consequences in $15 Million NIH Grant Misuse Settlement

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute will pay $15 million in a settlement for misusing NIH funding for research with flawed images. Initiated by a whistleblower's blog, the settlement addresses misconduct in 15 studies and includes corrective actions. Researcher Sholto David will receive $2.63 million from the settlement.

The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has agreed to a $15 million settlement to resolve allegations of misusing National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant funds. The allegations concern the publication of medical studies containing manipulated or duplicated images. These claims, brought to light by a whistleblower's lawsuit, have prompted corrective measures from the Boston-based institution.

Triggered by a whistleblower blog post in early 2023, Dana-Farber admitted to seeking retraction of several papers and implementing robust research integrity practices. The $15 million settlement addresses misconduct in 15 studies conducted from 2014 to 2020, where the institution accepted responsibility and worked with the Department of Justice to address these issues.

The lawsuit, initially filed under the False Claims Act by Sholto David, a UK-based biologist, alleges extensive misuse of grant funds and improper image usage in research. Dana-Farber's principal investigator was criticized for insufficient oversight, leading to the misuse of grant applications. David will receive $2.63 million from the settlement, acknowledging his role in uncovering the issues.

(With inputs from agencies.)