Dana-Farber Agrees to $15M Settlement Over Misused NIH Funds

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute will pay $15 million following allegations of misusing NIH funds for studies with manipulated images. This decision concludes a lawsuit by a British biologist who exposed the issue, leading to corrections in numerous studies. The Justice Department acknowledged Dana-Farber's remedial actions.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has reached a $15 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice to resolve claims it misappropriated NIH funds by publishing studies with manipulated images.

The Boston-based institution faced allegations first brought to light by a whistleblower lawsuit from Sholto David, a Welsh biologist. David highlighted concerns in a blog post, prompting the institution to retract or correct numerous scientific papers.

The Justice Department noted Dana-Farber's efforts to rectify the situation, granting it credit for disclosing additional misconduct allegations and implementing corrective measures. The lawsuit was filed under the False Claims Act, entitling David to a portion of the settlement.