The Norwegian cancer researcher who invented 907 patients — in a single study

Jon Sudbø was a Norwegian oncologist at the Radium Hospital in Oslo and an associate professor at the University of Oslo. He was one of Norway's most promising cancer researchers, having graduated top of his class in both dentistry (1989) and medicine (1994). His doctoral dissertation was published in 2001, and he quickly built a reputation for groundbreaking work on the link between NSAIDs and oral cancer.

In October 2005, The Lancet fast-tracked publication of Sudbø's study claiming that NSAIDs reduced the risk of oral cancer — a finding with major implications for cancer prevention. But Camilla Stoltenberg, a Norwegian epidemiologist, noticed that 250 of the 908 patients shared the same birthday. When she alerted the Norwegian health authorities, an investigation revealed that Sudbø had fabricated the entire data set. He had invented 907 of the 908 patients.

A commission of inquiry found that 15 of Sudbø's 38 published articles were fraudulent, including papers in The New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Sudbø resigned from all positions in 2006. The University of Oslo rescinded his doctoral degree. The Norwegian government revoked his medical and dental licenses. As of 2009, he was restricted to practicing as an assistant dentist under supervision.