Science is not immune to the foibles that plague ordinary, not-parked-at-a-lab-bench citizens. But mistakes made in a lab can be dangerous, and even deadly. Misleading or faulty scientific reports can send other scientists astray, wasting years of time and hard-earned research grants. Badly designed apps and poorly analyzed data can help lose a presidential election.
Every year, a number of scientists are caught in various forms of misbehavior. Now, some scientists
even study the misdeeds of others. Here are some of the most notable examples of science-related errors, missteps and dishonesty in 2012, ranging from the mildly amusing to the truly deadly.
Above:
Pharmaceutical Distributor Contaminates Drug, Causes Outbreak
In
early October, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed a deadly disease outbreak. Taking the form of fungal meningitis, the outbreak has since been linked to tainted batches of steroids used to control back pain. But the drugs weren’t made by a drug manufacturer. They came from a compounding pharmacy, a facility that mixes its own drugs and distributes them.
Now, more than 600 cases have been reported and
40 people have died. The CDC estimates that some 14,000 people in 19 states are at risk for exposure.
Fungal meningitis, mostly caused in this outbreak by
Exserohilum rostratum, is not contagious. The infections resulted from spinal injections of contaminated steroids, such as
methylprednisolone acetate. The tainted medications originated at the New England Compounding Center, which sent
17, 676 potentially contaminated vials to 23 states.
As
New Scientist reported, such outbreaks
aren’t uncommon and are perhaps a disturbing indicator of lax regulations. Compounding facilities aren’t held to the same safety standards as drug manufacturers, and
aren’t regulated by the FDA. Now, the federal government is
considering new legislation leading to tighter regulations on compounding pharmacies; the New England Compounding Center has since been closed and
is under investigation.
Image: Exserohilum rostratum*, the fungus blamed for causing meningitis after injection of contaminated steroids. (CDC)*
