BOSTON — The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has agreed to pay $15 million to settle allegations that it made false statements and certifications related to National Institutes of Health research grants between 2014 and 2024.
Federal prosecutors say the Boston-based cancer research center misrepresented data and images in studies funded by NIH, resulting in misinformation published in 14 scientific journal articles.
According to the settlement, Dana-Farber admitted that researchers reused images to represent different experimental conditions, duplicated images for separate tests, and altered images by rotating, magnifying, or stretching them. The institute also acknowledged that a supervising researcher failed to provide adequate oversight and that funds from six NIH grants were spent on publications containing these inaccuracies.
Additionally, another researcher received four NIH grants after submitting applications that referenced a journal article with misrepresented data and images, without disclosing those issues.
Federal prosecutors allege that Dana-Farber caused the submission of false claims to NIH by falsely certifying compliance with grant terms, spending funds on unallowable expenses, and obtaining grants through misleading statements.
“There is no place in scientific research, particularly cancer research, for fraud, waste, and abuse,” U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley said in a statement. “Patients and the medical community rely on accurate research findings.”
Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate added, “This settlement demonstrates that the Department of Justice will pursue grantees that undermine the integrity of federal funding decisions.”
Dana-Farber, which operates locations across Massachusetts and New Hampshire, cooperated with the investigation and received credit for disclosure and remediation efforts under the False Claims Act guidelines.
Since its founding, Dana-Farber has been a leading cancer treatment and research center, receiving significant federal funding for its work. Officials say this case underscores the importance of maintaining integrity in federally funded research.
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