‘Rare’ Criminal Charges for Data Manipulation in Cassava Case Send a ‘Powerful Message’: Lawyers

By: Ellie Kincaid

Retraction Watch spoke with Cohen Seglias white collar partner Julie Grohovsky, a former federal prosecutor, about the rare criminal charges brought against Hoau-yan Wang for alleged data manipulation. Drawing on her prosecutorial experience, Julie discussed the government’s strong evidence, including industry ties and substantial damages, and emphasized how this case sends a powerful message about the consequences of research fraud.

The recent criminal indictment of a medical school professor and former scientific advisor to Cassava Sciences on fraud charges for manipulating images in scientific papers and applications for federal funding is a “rare” outcome for such alleged actions that “sends a very, very powerful message.”

That’s according to lawyers who have worked on research misconduct cases.

While many investigations by the U.S. Office of Research Integrity and other government watchdogs find scientists manipulated data in grant applications to the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation, few are charged with “major fraud against the United States,” as was Hoau-yan Wang.