Retorts

Whistleblowing

I read your recent Viewpoint [Nov 1998] and the letter by J.A. Grant-Mackie which prompted it.

It is worth noting that whistleblowing expert Brian Martin of Science and Technology Studies at the University of Wollongong is on record as stating that the funding of scientific research by bodies having a material interest in the results is probably a major factor in scientific fraud and publication bias (which is also hard to prove, according to Martin, contrary to what Dr Horwath says). The conflict of interest is surely obvious.

Of course whether the government would pick up the tab for nutritional research is another matter. This is probably the real issue!

Chris Harris, Palmerston North