Misconduct in Medical Research

One of the distinguishing characteristics of American society, noted long ago by Alexis de Tocqueville, has been optimism and a belief, bordering on faith, in progress. That characteristic is evident in our popular culture and in our politics. We recall -- nostalgically -- the 1939 New York World's Fair, the General Motors Parade of Progress, the can-do spirit of the New Frontier, and the hopes of the Great Society. Our sometimes misplaced sense of optimism is at its core an expression of confidence in science and the scientific method. We believe that honest intellectual inquiry can lead us to theories . . .