John Darsee fabricated data in 100+ papers at Harvard and Emory — for a decade

John Darsee, a cardiologist, published over 100 research papers between 1974 and 1981, first at Emory University and then at Harvard Medical School. His work focused on digitalis and cardiac function, and he was considered a productive and promising researcher.

In 1981, a colleague at Harvard observed Darsee fabricating data in the laboratory. An investigation revealed that Darsee had been fabricating and falsifying data for years, at both Emory and Harvard. Over 100 papers were affected, and many were retracted.

The case was one of the first major scientific fraud scandals in the US and prompted the National Institutes of Health to establish the Office of Research Integrity. It exposed the failure of mentorship and peer review to detect fabrication: Darsee's supervisors at both institutions had not verified his data. The case illustrated how the 'publish or perish' culture can incentivize fabrication, and how the assumption that a colleague's data are honest is the weakest link in the research process.