GSK statement regarding 2010 Nature Medicine study

GSK and Nature Medicine recently became aware of allegations of misrepresentation of data in a research paper written by scientists at GSK’s China research centre and published in Nature Medicine in 2010*. The published study was from preclinical, early stage research and did not directly involve patients. 

The integrity of our research is critical to our work and when these allegations came to light we immediately contacted the journal to tell them that we were taking the charges seriously and would be investigating thoroughly. Regretfully, our investigation has established that certain data in the paper were indeed misrepresented. We’ve shared our conclusion that the paper should be retracted and are in the process of asking all of the authors to sign a statement to that effect, according to Nature Medicine’s procedure.             

We have taken action in response to these findings, which we have shared with our employees. One individual has been dismissed from GSK; a second has submitted his resignation and three others have been placed on administrative leave, pending a final review.

We are committed to the highest ethical and scientific standards and regulators, physicians and patients can have confidence in the research we carry out.  

* "Crucial role of interleukin-7 in T helper type 17 survival and expansion in autoimmune disease," published in Nature Medicine, 2010, 16: 191-197

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