(2005-04-25) Obesity Research Faked Data

Obesity researcher Eric T Poehlman acknowledged that he altered and made up research results from 1992 to 2002, including findings published in medical journals that overstated the effect of menopause on women's health... Poehlman's work was not so groundbreaking that the fabrication will require rethinking any major doctrines on obesity or aging, several colleagues said. But scientists must now wonder which parts of Poehlman's work they can rely on, according to SusanRoberts, a metabolism specialist at Tufts University, who said news of the fabrication left her saddened and disbelieving. ''Some of his work was pretty influential," particularly on the physical decline that comes with aging, she said.

The Scientist notes the ripple-effect of having to re-evaluate all the papers that cited his work. Damage to the Reputation Management Social Network.