UK: Science and Technology Select Committee inquiry on Reproducibility and research integrity, Opened 22 July 2021

[Sarah]

Science and Technology Select Committee inquiry on Reproducibility and research integrity
Opened 22 July 2021.

Written submissions and videos for two oral evidence sessions are available, with a transcript for the first only at present.

Session 1 - 1 December: Professor Neil Ferguson OBE; Professor Dorothy Bishop; Professor Marcus Munafò; Dr Ivan Oransky; Dr Janine Austin Clayton.
https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/e4fa2fa3-7f11-4dfa-b077-68795defbe8c

Session 2 - 15 December: Dr Ben Goldacre; Dr Jessica Butler; Dr Ritu Dhand; Dr Elizabeth Moylan; Richard Horton; Viscount Ridley; Dr Alina Chan.
https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/7a2dfe49-3cbe-49be-97ee-3d33183cab15

Richard Horton was questioned on the Daszak letter, conflicts of interest, and the role of the Lancet and publication practices in the 15th Dec session from 11:04.

As the UK seeks to recover from the pandemic, research and innovation has the ability to drive economic growth, with UKRI estimating that every £1 spent on research and development delivers £7 in economic and social benefit. However, the integrity of research, especially medical and social science research, is at risk from what is known as the ‘reproducibility crisis’ (i.e. it being very difficult or impossible to replicate a scientific study).

As early as 2005, the issue of reproducibility was identified in Ioannidis’ paper, ‘Why Most Published Research Findings Are False,’ and since then a large number of surveys or replication studies have been conducted that show the prominence of the issue.

So far, Government policy has focused on the overall theme of ‘Research Integrity,’ including asking UKRI to establish a national research integrity committee as recommended by our predecessor Committee, but the specific issue of reproducible research has been overlooked.

https://committees.parliament.uk/work/1433/reproducibility-and-research-integrity/

 

[alktipping]

if the uk had a real interest in the integrity of research they would of created a watchdog with real consequences for academic fraud and plagiarism. but the broken systems now in place seem to find the current situation is beneficial to vested interest .

 

[rvallee]

if the uk had a real interest in the integrity of research they would of created a watchdog with real consequences for academic fraud and plagiarism. but the broken systems now in place seem to find the current situation is beneficial to vested interest .

Isn't that what knight/lady-hoods and the House of Lords are for?

 

[TiredSam]

A lot of the names of attendees look familiar. Seems to be a collection of people who have previous in saying stuff, and now they are meeting to say more stuff. I won't be holding my breath for anything meaningful to come out of this.

 

[Sly Saint]