Cardiology (valsartan trials and angiogenesis)
Hiroaki Matsubara: Kyoto Heart Study and falsified laboratory papers, 2012 to 2013
Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine
Retracted after institutional review Resigned as professor at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine in February 2013. The main Kyoto Heart Study paper was retracted in February 2013, and in May 2013 AHA journals retracted five papers the university reported contained falsified data and figures.1,2,3
Papers
| Paper | Action | Date | Reason stated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five papers in Circulation, Circulation Research and Hypertension Circulation, Circulation Research and Hypertension (American Heart Association), https://retractionwatch.com/2013/05/24/cardiology-journals-retract-five-matsubara-studies1 | Retracted | 23 May 2013 | The AHA notice said Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine notified it that "certain data and figures in these 5 articles were falsified". |
| Kyoto Heart Study (valsartan trial) European Heart Journal, 2009 https://www.aerzteblatt.de/news/japan-skandal-um-manipulierte-diovan-daten-1b6e0afe-ae33-43e9-8ccd-77343fcedb062,3 | Retracted | February 2013 | Deutsches Ärzteblatt reported that the Japanese Circulation Society retracted two Kyoto Heart Study publications in December 2012 and the European Society of Cardiology retracted the main publication in February 2013. |
Investigations
- Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine investigation commission, 11 July 2013The university's report on the Kyoto Heart Study said "it is suspected data was manipulated in the process of producing final data for analysis", Nature reported. Deutsches Ärzteblatt reported it found 34 discrepancies between patient records and study data, and that after correction no valsartan benefit on the primary endpoint was visible.2,3
Response
Deutsches Ärzteblatt reported that he continued to deny data manipulation and said a Novartis employee had carried out the data analysis.2
Sources
- Retraction Watch, Cardiology journals retract five Matsubara studies (24 May 2013)
- Deutsches Ärzteblatt, Japan: Skandal um manipulierte Diovan-Daten (19 July 2013)
- Nature (blog, Ichiko Murai), Japan investigations allege misconduct in large-scale clinical studies (13 August 2013)