Neuroscientist exposes potential Alzheimer’s fraud

Dozens of papers involving Alzheimer's research – including one of the field’s most-cited studies from 2006 – may have been fraudulent, per a new Science article published following an investigation by neuroscientist and physician Dr. Matthew Schrag of Vanderbilt University.

His probe examined research into Simufilam, the leading Alzheimer’s drug produced by pharma company Cassava Sciences. It’s projected to reach $550+ million in sales by the end of the decade.

📚 Here’s how it went down… Last August, Schrag said he was contacted by a lawyer representing "two prominent neuroscientists'' who believed some research related to Simufilam may have been fraudulent. (Full disclosure: the two are also short sellers who stand to profit if Cassava Sciences’ stock falls.)

• After looking at images published in articles related to Simufilam, Schrag identified "apparently altered or duplicated images in dozens of journal articles," per Science.
• The scientific journal then asked two independent image analysts to review the findings. Both concurred with Schrag, or found his conclusions “compelling and sound.”

✋ Yes, but: Schrag doesn't use the word "fraud" or claim to have proven misconduct, as such an assessment would "require access to original, complete and unpublished images and in some cases raw numerical data," Science reports.

📝 Bottom line: If true, Schrag’s research would imply that potentially billions of dollars in federal grants – and countless lab hours – may have been misspent on Alzheimer's research and other efforts based around the fabricated findings over the past 16 years. Gulp.