Ranking Member Tim Scott, Sens. Rick Scott and Marco Rubio Request Information on Alleged Fraud in Alzheimer’s Research

WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging Ranking Member Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Aging Committee Members Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, requesting information in light of recent allegations of data fraud with federally-funded Alzheimer’s research.

“These allegations of misconduct in Alzheimer’s research — and the silence from Secretary Becerra — raise serious questions of credibility in the scientific community,” said Sen. Scott. “As ranking member of the Aging Committee, I know how much this research means to families across the nation. This administration has a duty to provide the answers and transparency that those families deserve.”

“This administration demands that we ‘trust the science,’ yet it funds scientists that tamper with their own research. HHS will be failing the millions of vulnerable American seniors suffering with from Alzheimer’s disease if it chooses not to investigate these claims of misconduct,” said Sen. Rubio.

Sen. Rick Scott said, “We can never tolerate compromising the integrity of medical research - especially that which focuses on a disease that impacts millions of American families. HHS must immediately launch an investigation into the misconduct alleged here and get answers for the millions of Alzheimer's patients, their families and American taxpayers.”

Background:

On July 21, Science magazine published the results of a six-month investigation into allegations that a scientist manipulated images that have been used as the bedrock of Alzheimer’s research since their publication in 2006. To date, the National Institutes of Health has not addressed the allegations and continues to fund the scientist in question.

Read the full letter here.