Scientist faces academic fraud accusations
Source: Xinhua |
March 14, 2013, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SEVEN health organizations have demanded the Chinese Academy of Engineering reinvestigate Xie Jianping's tobacco research and revoke his membership, the Health News newspaper reported yesterday.
The seven associations jointly submitted a letter to the academy, accusing Xie of academic fraud. The associations said he used the obsolete Cambridge Filter Method to assess "low-tar and less harmful cigarettes" and based his academic success on this research, which secured his seat in the prestigious academy.
The Cambridge Filter Method is a test procedure to determine the tar and nicotine content of cigarettes. It was later proven to be meaningless because smokers were found to "compensate," or adjust how they smoke, to get the amount of nicotine they need from a cigarette.
The method had long been used by the US Federal Trade Commission but it was dropped by the body in 2008.
The letter accused the academy of shunning public challenges, giving no mention of suspicions raised by the Chinese Association on Tobacco Control, and turning deaf ears to the opinions of more than 100 academy members.
The elite academic body added Xie Jianping in December 2011, which created controversy among the public and media.
Xie was given the seat for his research on low-tar and herbal cigarettes at an institute under the China National Tobacco Corporation.
Later, hundreds of academics from the academy and other institutions tried to ask Xie to give up his seat. They also requested the academy review Xie's membership.
On February 1, the academy announced the initial investigation results, saying Xie's seat was valid because the nomination and appraisal procedures conformed with relevant regulations and had been reported to the State Council.
The associations disagreed with the academy, saying if the nomination runs against scientific ethics, then it is pointless in discussing whether it conforms with procedures.
The seven associations include the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association, Chinese Medical Association and the Chinese Medical Doctor Association.
The seven associations jointly submitted a letter to the academy, accusing Xie of academic fraud. The associations said he used the obsolete Cambridge Filter Method to assess "low-tar and less harmful cigarettes" and based his academic success on this research, which secured his seat in the prestigious academy.
The Cambridge Filter Method is a test procedure to determine the tar and nicotine content of cigarettes. It was later proven to be meaningless because smokers were found to "compensate," or adjust how they smoke, to get the amount of nicotine they need from a cigarette.
The method had long been used by the US Federal Trade Commission but it was dropped by the body in 2008.
The letter accused the academy of shunning public challenges, giving no mention of suspicions raised by the Chinese Association on Tobacco Control, and turning deaf ears to the opinions of more than 100 academy members.
The elite academic body added Xie Jianping in December 2011, which created controversy among the public and media.
Xie was given the seat for his research on low-tar and herbal cigarettes at an institute under the China National Tobacco Corporation.
Later, hundreds of academics from the academy and other institutions tried to ask Xie to give up his seat. They also requested the academy review Xie's membership.
On February 1, the academy announced the initial investigation results, saying Xie's seat was valid because the nomination and appraisal procedures conformed with relevant regulations and had been reported to the State Council.
The associations disagreed with the academy, saying if the nomination runs against scientific ethics, then it is pointless in discussing whether it conforms with procedures.
The seven associations include the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association, Chinese Medical Association and the Chinese Medical Doctor Association.
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