ＳＴＡＰ問題 再発防止へ全体像を解明せよ

The Yomiuri Shimbun April 02, 2014
Truth about STAP fabrication case must be uncovered
ＳＴＡＰ問題　再発防止へ全体像を解明せよ

The controversy over two articles written by an international team led by a RIKEN researcher, about what it calls stimulus-triggered acquisition of pluripotency (STAP), must be regarded as a situation that seriously affects this nation’s scientific research. Japan’s scientific efforts are at risk of losing international confidence.
　日本の科学研究に対する国際的な信用を損なうゆゆしき事態である。

On Tuesday, RIKEN’s investigative committee published a final report that concluded the papers in question contained “deliberate alterations and fabrication.”
　ＳＴＡＰ細胞の論文について、理化学研究所の調査委員会が「意図的な改ざんと捏造ねつぞうがあった」とする最終報告書を発表した。

RIKEN has said it will urge the team led by Haruko Obokata, the lead author of the theses, to retract them.
　理研は、論文の筆頭著者である小保方晴子ユニットリーダーらに論文撤回を勧告するという。

RIKEN’s authority has been dealt a serious blow, only two months after the team drew international attention to papers claiming success in creating the STAP cell as “a third kind of pluripotent cell.” What were the factors behind this? We hope RIKEN will keep trying to uncover the whole truth, including whether the STAP cell truly exists.
　「第３の万能細胞」として世界的に注目を集めた発表から、わずか２か月で、理研の権威は大きく傷ついた。なぜこのようなことになったのか。理研は引き続き、ＳＴＡＰ細胞の存在の真偽も含め、全容解明に努めてもらいたい。

Through fact-finding interviews with people involved with the papers in question, the investigative panel has declared that Obokata was solely responsible for misconduct that included alterations to an image used in the articles.
　調査委は、関係者からの聞き取り調査などを行い、画像の加工などについて、小保方氏単独の不正行為があったと断定した。

The RIKEN committee has concluded that several photos used in the articles were “fabricated.” This conclusion is particularly disconcerting in that the images in question were claimed by the team as evidence proving the pluripotency of STAP cells. The authenticity of the papers has been fundamentally shaken.
　特に深刻なのは、ＳＴＡＰ細胞の万能性を示す証拠とされた画像を「捏造に当たる」と結論づけた点だ。論文の信ぴょう性が根底から揺らいだと言えよう。

The panel also mentioned inadequacies attributable to figures with ties to RIKEN, whose names were included in the list of the papers’ coauthors. Its report said these people had not done enough to fulfill their duties related to the articles, including the examination of the data presented by Obokata.
　調査委は、論文の共著者の理研関係者について、小保方氏が示したデータのチェックなどに不十分な点があったとも指摘した。

When the papers about the STAP method were published in January, RIKEN officials spoke with a unified voice in praising the achievement claimed by Obokata’s team. They emphasized the discovery had been made possible as a result of veteran scientists supporting the innovative ideas generated by such a young researcher.
　論文の発表時に理研は、若手の斬新なアイデアをベテランの共著者が支えたと強調し、研究所一丸となった成果を誇っていた。

Ignored rules

However, the results of the panel’s investigation brought to light the carelessness evident in the process of putting the papers together, as the scientists involved failed to properly communicate with each other.
　だが、調査結果から浮き彫りになったのは、研究者間の意思疎通を欠いたまま進められたずさんな論文作成の実態だ。

RIKEN has kept in place a set of regulations aimed at preventing its staff from conducting dishonest research activities. The rules include an obligation to ensure procedures, facts and data related to experiments are appropriately written into laboratory notebooks, while also properly preserving these records. Also included in the rules is to thoroughly confirm what kind of responsibility is to be assumed by each coauthor of an article.
　理研は、不正な研究を防ぐため、実験手順やデータを記録する実験ノートの適切な記載と保管、論文の著者間の責任分担確認などを徹底させる規定を設けている。

Obokata was found to have retained such records only in two notebooks over the past three years. It has also been discovered that the notebooks only contained fragmentary and undated facts and data.
　それにもかかわらず、小保方氏の実験ノートは、３年間で２冊だけで、日付も記入されていない断片的な内容だったという。

In a statement issued about the results of the investigation, she has called the report totally unacceptable. Obokata also said she would file a complaint against Riken. However, if she wants to rebut the results of the investigation, Obokata must appear in public and explain the grounds on which her assertion is based.
　小保方氏は調査結果について「とても承服できない」とのコメントを発表した。理研に不服申し立てを行うという。反論があるのなら、小保方氏は公の場できちんと根拠を説明せねばならない。

The dispute over the papers is believed to affect a government plan to name RIKEN as a specified national research and development corporation under a new designation system.
　理研を「特定国立研究開発法人」に指定する政府の方針にも影響が出よう。

Large salaries would be paid to attract excellent researchers. RIKEN needs, first and foremost, to enhance its governance as a research institution while also implementing steps to prevent a similar incident from taking place again.
優秀な研究者を高給で集める新制度だが、理研がガバナンス（組織統治）を確立し、再発防止を図ることがまずは必要だ。

The STAP case has raised questions about reporting news on scientific discoveries.
　今回の問題は、科学報道のあり方に課題を突きつけた。

Any science paper that has just been published is to be regarded as showing that theories and advancements documented therein are in the process of being verified.
Such theories often prove to be misconceived.
論文発表は、「仮説」の検証過程であり、後に誤認が判明することも多い。

Even an achievement that scientists claim can overturn long-held beliefs has the possibility of turning out to be false.
常識を覆すとされる成果でも、その可能性はある。

We must all be reminded of the importance of reporting scientific news objectively and calmly.
　客観的で冷静な報道の重要性を改めて肝に銘じたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 2, 2014)