From Martin Edwardes
Richard Smith says he wants to see research misconduct criminalised (13 September, p 27). But research is a civil contract between the organisation initiating the research and those carrying it out. Any failures in the process can and should be dealt with by the civil courts.
The real-world harm that Smith describes begins at the point of publication. Crackpot ideas are not illegal; giving them scientific credence is the point at which they become dangerous.
There are problems of misconduct by researchers, but if we are to allocate criminal blame, I believe the law should only intervene after the point of publication.
London, UK
