How Congressional Pressure Shaped the 'Baltimore Case'

One of the most high-profile scientific misconduct cases collapsed recently when all charges against immunologist Thereza Imanishi-Kari were dismissed. The crucial ingredient in keeping the case grinding along was the active interest of Representative John Dingell (D-MI), chairman of a key congressional subcommittee. Subcommittee investigators, some of whom were being paid by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), were involved in virtually every aspect of the case, from the selection of evidence to its public dissemination.