Incidents of scientists allowing personal or outside interests to cloud their professional judgment in conducting research are alarming and unacceptable. The Association of American Medical Colleges' Ad Hoc Committee on Misconduct and Conflict of Interest in Research offers a conceptual framework and defines institutional and individual…

An AAMC ad hoc committee on research fraud identified three steps institutions might take to combat fraud in medical research: determination of the magnitude of the problem by a formal study; institution of guidelines for research, publication, and promotion; and establishment of policies for investigating allegations of fraud. (Author/MLW)