4 ms·

Alzheimer's scientist indicted for allegedly falsifying data in $16M scheme

88 points by isaacfrond 2y ago

isaacfrond 2y ago
Well, that's about time. Although, I'm pessimistic that the law can stem the current tide of research fraud, at least it's something.
eigenvalue 2y ago
Would be ironic if the trial shows that the drug works after all this. But that seems incredibly doubtful. This guy should go to prison for a long time. That’s 1,800 people in a trial who could have been taking a non fraudulent drug that has a better chance of working.
- matthewdgreen 2y ago
  Is there a better and non-fraudulent drug out there? I’m not asking to further an argument, I’m asking because I have a family member with this disease.
  - bionhoward 2y ago
    Not a drug but intermittent fasting could help, here are some articles on it https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=intermittent+fasting+Alzheimer%27s+scholarly+articles&hl=en&as_sdt=0,41&as_ylo=2020&as_vis=1&as_rr=1 https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=intermittent+fasting+Al...
    - appplication 2y ago
      Even if the science isn’t fully there yet, this seems well into the realm of “almost certainly can’t hurt”.
      - karmajunkie 2y ago
        except, well, it kinda might. https://newsroom.heart.org/news/8-hour-time-restricted-eating-linked-to-a-91-higher-risk-of-cardiovascular-death https://newsroom.heart.org/news/8-hour-time-restricted-eatin...
        appplication 2y ago
        Interesting, I wonder if that’s because most people doing so were already or formerly overweight, hence the fasting.
        isaacfrond 2y ago
        from the newsroom article: People who followed a pattern of eating all of their food across less than 8 hours per day had a 91% higher risk of death due to cardiovascular disease. That just fails the laugh test. That can't possibly be true.
        isaacfrond 2y ago
        There is no published article corresponding to that press release. There is only this published abstract: https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/20343/presentation/379 https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/20343/presentation/37... (which does not contain the 91% by the way; though it is reported widely. perhaps it was in the presentation). Here is a page with expert reactions (most are skeptical) https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-conference-abstract-about-time-restricted-eating-and-cardiovascular-death/ https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-confer... tl;dr: I don't believe a word of it.
    - improv 2y ago
      Relatedly, there is evidence that ketogenic (which are fasting mimicking) diets can be helpful: https://www.ucdavis.edu/health/news/keto-diet-prevents-early-memory-decline-mice#:~:text=A%20new%20study%20from%20researchers,precedes%20full%2Dblown%20Alzheimer's%20disease https://www.ucdavis.edu/health/news/keto-diet-prevents-early.... https://ncats.nih.gov/news-events/news/ketogenic-diet-alzheimers https://ncats.nih.gov/news-events/news/ketogenic-diet-alzhei...
  - eigenvalue 2y ago
    Yes, this drug from Eli Lilly looks very promising: https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lillys-donanemab-significantly-slowed-cognitive-and-functional https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-detail... https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/news/another-milestone-successful-phase-3-trial-of-alzheimers-drug-donanemab-confirmed/ https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/news/another-milestone-... Also, the 40hz therapy stuff looks compelling to me. I made a free website that you can use on a phone to try it: https://alzheimersbuddy.com/ https://alzheimersbuddy.com/
  - bsder 2y ago
    Sadly, there is not a better drug out there. At best, maybe, progress gets slowed. A little. The amyloid hypothesis researchers have done grave damage to general society in their intransigence to abandon a position that has been proven over and over to not lead to useful treatments.
    - Log_out_ 2y ago
      and now all citation cartel careers are over?
ChrisArchitect 2y ago
Official Justice release: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/professor-charged-operating-multimillion-dollar-grant-fraud-scheme https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/professor-charged-operating-m...
laborcontract 2y ago
I know in a lot of past submissions here about academic fraud, a good chunk of the comments wondered how it wasn't a punishable crime. Well, now we know the answer! I hope we get a lot more of this. Given how much of academic funding is provided by the government, it's not unrealistic to think that the feds can break the back of academic fraud by pursuing more of these cases. The burden these people cast on society is arguably worse than a ponzi schemer. They steal money from taxpayers, the livelihoods of researchers, and time from those who can least afford to waste it.
- creer 2y ago
  Even then, this current indictment goes after "one count of major fraud against the United States, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of false statements" - that is, the low hanging fruit. In particular, there is no attempt (in these specific charges) to seek conviction or punishment for "hurting people by delaying science, drug studies or treatment" - which would be justified in such circumstances. Don't know if there is current law that could be thrown at that. Probably yes. There will be certainly time to take that into account in sentencing. The court may not go easy on that guy. Anyway, yes, a good start.
mensetmanusman 2y ago
Not giving academics FU money is going to backfire.

88 points by isaacfrond 2y ago

Well, that's about time. Although, I'm pessimistic that the law can stem the current tide of research fraud, at least it's something.

eigenvalue 2y ago

Would be ironic if the trial shows that the drug works after all this. But that seems incredibly doubtful. This guy should go to prison for a long time. That’s 1,800 people in a trial who could have been taking a non fraudulent drug that has a better chance of working.

matthewdgreen 2y ago
Is there a better and non-fraudulent drug out there? I’m not asking to further an argument, I’m asking because I have a family member with this disease.
- bionhoward 2y ago
  Not a drug but intermittent fasting could help, here are some articles on it https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=intermittent+fasting+Alzheimer%27s+scholarly+articles&hl=en&as_sdt=0,41&as_ylo=2020&as_vis=1&as_rr=1 https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=intermittent+fasting+Al...
  - appplication 2y ago
    Even if the science isn’t fully there yet, this seems well into the realm of “almost certainly can’t hurt”.
    - karmajunkie 2y ago
      except, well, it kinda might. https://newsroom.heart.org/news/8-hour-time-restricted-eating-linked-to-a-91-higher-risk-of-cardiovascular-death https://newsroom.heart.org/news/8-hour-time-restricted-eatin...
      - appplication 2y ago
        Interesting, I wonder if that’s because most people doing so were already or formerly overweight, hence the fasting.
      - isaacfrond 2y ago
        from the newsroom article: People who followed a pattern of eating all of their food across less than 8 hours per day had a 91% higher risk of death due to cardiovascular disease. That just fails the laugh test. That can't possibly be true.
      - isaacfrond 2y ago
        There is no published article corresponding to that press release. There is only this published abstract: https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/20343/presentation/379 https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/20343/presentation/37... (which does not contain the 91% by the way; though it is reported widely. perhaps it was in the presentation). Here is a page with expert reactions (most are skeptical) https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-conference-abstract-about-time-restricted-eating-and-cardiovascular-death/ https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-confer... tl;dr: I don't believe a word of it.
  - improv 2y ago
    Relatedly, there is evidence that ketogenic (which are fasting mimicking) diets can be helpful: https://www.ucdavis.edu/health/news/keto-diet-prevents-early-memory-decline-mice#:~:text=A%20new%20study%20from%20researchers,precedes%20full%2Dblown%20Alzheimer's%20disease https://www.ucdavis.edu/health/news/keto-diet-prevents-early.... https://ncats.nih.gov/news-events/news/ketogenic-diet-alzheimers https://ncats.nih.gov/news-events/news/ketogenic-diet-alzhei...
- eigenvalue 2y ago
  Yes, this drug from Eli Lilly looks very promising: https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lillys-donanemab-significantly-slowed-cognitive-and-functional https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-detail... https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/news/another-milestone-successful-phase-3-trial-of-alzheimers-drug-donanemab-confirmed/ https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/news/another-milestone-... Also, the 40hz therapy stuff looks compelling to me. I made a free website that you can use on a phone to try it: https://alzheimersbuddy.com/ https://alzheimersbuddy.com/
- bsder 2y ago
  Sadly, there is not a better drug out there. At best, maybe, progress gets slowed. A little. The amyloid hypothesis researchers have done grave damage to general society in their intransigence to abandon a position that has been proven over and over to not lead to useful treatments.
  - Log_out_ 2y ago
    and now all citation cartel careers are over?

ChrisArchitect 2y ago

Official Justice release: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/professor-charged-operating-multimillion-dollar-grant-fraud-scheme https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/professor-charged-operating-m...

laborcontract 2y ago

I know in a lot of past submissions here about academic fraud, a good chunk of the comments wondered how it wasn't a punishable crime. Well, now we know the answer! I hope we get a lot more of this. Given how much of academic funding is provided by the government, it's not unrealistic to think that the feds can break the back of academic fraud by pursuing more of these cases. The burden these people cast on society is arguably worse than a ponzi schemer. They steal money from taxpayers, the livelihoods of researchers, and time from those who can least afford to waste it.

creer 2y ago
Even then, this current indictment goes after "one count of major fraud against the United States, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of false statements" - that is, the low hanging fruit. In particular, there is no attempt (in these specific charges) to seek conviction or punishment for "hurting people by delaying science, drug studies or treatment" - which would be justified in such circumstances. Don't know if there is current law that could be thrown at that. Probably yes. There will be certainly time to take that into account in sentencing. The court may not go easy on that guy. Anyway, yes, a good start.

mensetmanusman 2y ago

Not giving academics FU money is going to backfire.