A Dutch court has found a neurologist guilty of serious scientific fraud after he falsified reports for medical research and concealed earnings from the tax authorities.
Between 1989 and 1993, Dr H J Gelmers made 438 false case record forms as part of the second European stroke prevention study for the German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim. The study was investigating whether dipyridamol reduced the chances of patients having a second stroke.
Reports showed falsely that patients had participated. Patient visits and research were reported that had not taken place. None of the patients later interviewed by investigators had been informed of the research by Dr Gelmers; nor were their GPs. Most of the 600000 guilders (£171000; $266000; €272000) earned from the research was not disclosed to the tax authorities.
Dr Gelmers, aged 59, denied fraud but accepted that mistakes had been made. His lawyers said a psychiatric report showed a degree of diminished responsibility at the time of the events.
The court fined him €130000, with a conditional prison sentence of 180 days if he fails to pay the fine. He has already been suspended from practising medicine for a year by a medical disciplinary board.