Charles Piller

Can a wealthy family change the course of a deadly brain disease? Inspired by the loss of their mother, they have poured millions into studying a key protein behind frontotemporal dementia. But all has not gone according to plan

Fascinating look at efforts by a wealthy family to change the course of a deadly brain disease | Science | AAAS via @jennieerinsmith.bsky.social www.science.org/content/arti...

A medical journal says the case reports it has published for 25 years are, in fact, fiction A Canadian journal has issued corrections on 138 case reports it published over the last 25 years to add a disclaimer: The cases described are fictional. Paediatrics & Child Health, the journal…

I find it hard to be shocked by such admissions, but this one is pretty intense: A medical journal says the case reports it has published for 25 years are, in fact, fiction via @katetravis.bsky.social retractionwatch.com/2026/03/03/c...

For more background, see @charlespiller.bsky.social 's reporting in Science here: www.science.org/content/arti...

Another #retraction for former National Institute on Aging division director Eliezer Masliah today.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
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Combined work by @mumumouse2.bsky.social , @thatsregrettab1.bsky.social, Matthew Schrag, @charlespiller.bsky.social and me.

This glass wafer could back up your phone—and last 10,000 years Laser-written patterns on glass could store data for millennia at a time

This glass wafer could back up your phone—and last 10,000 years - this might be what I've been waiting 20 years for! www.latimes.com/archives/la-... | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...

STAT wins fourth Polk Award for reporting on impact of Trump on health STAT has won its fourth Polk Award in five years for documenting the Trump administration’s shakeup of the FDA, scientific research, and public health.

More well-deserved honors for STAT - Polk Award for reporting on impact of Trump on health www.statnews.com/2026/02/18/s... via @statnews.com

UnEDXpected Peaks Over the past couple of days, I have been reviewing a series of Materials Science papers, all co-authored by the same group of researchers from the Universities of Lahore, Chakwal, and Sargodha in …

UnEDXpected Peaks - New and fascinating data explorations from @elisabethbik.bsky.social scienceintegritydigest.com/2026/02/09/u...

CASW Connector Chat: Tips and Tools for Investigative Science Reporting YouTube video by CASW ScienceWriting

Thanks to the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing @sciencewriting.bsky.social for hosting me for a webinar on investigative reporting on science, with the great @lizagross.bsky.social Here's the link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zvxz...

Court challenge could chill reporting of research fraud, say whistleblower attorneys utah778/iStock The U.S. government recently announced a record $6.8 billion in False Claims Act settlements and judgments in 2025, the most in a single year since the law’s enactment 163 years ago.…

Court challenge could chill reporting of research fraud, say whistleblower attorneys retractionwatch.com/2026/02/11/f...

Controversial Danish vaccine research group faces new allegations Researchers say they couldn’t find complete data for 10 trials that together enrolled tens of thousands of children in Guinea-Bissau

Controversial Danish vaccine research group faces new allegations | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...

Inside the quest to make a safer football helmet New energy-absorbing designs and materials have revolutionized the iconic safety device

Inside the quest to make a safer football helmet | Science | - great pre-Superbowl examination by Adrian Cho - AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...

Doctored: Fraud, Arrogance and Tragedy in Alzheimer’s Research with Charles Piller YouTube video by TeachEthnobotany

Thanks so much to Cassandra Quave for a great conversation on her podcast Foodie Pharmacology about my book “Doctored: Fraud, Arrogance, and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer’s” – now also out in paperback. www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVpf...

Alzheimer's Research Fraud: Charles Piller on Doctored Investigative journalist Charles Piller exposes Alzheimer’s research fraud and the hidden misconduct that delayed cures and reshaped modern science.

Thanks to John R Miles for a great conversation about my book "Doctored: Fraud, Arrogance, and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer's" on his podcast Passion Struck passionstruck.com/charles-pill...

New review of my book, "Doctored," which was just released in paperback, from a publication of the University of Toronto www.immpressmagazine.com/doctored-202...

To hear some of the reporting details and conclusions of my book, "Doctored," about misconduct in Alzheimer's research, please check out my new interview with Melanie Avalon. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3...

Science journalists: Please join me in conversation with @lizagross.bsky.social on Jan 29 about deep dives into scientific research -- come with questions and ideas to share. Sponsored by @sciencewriting.bsky.social

Alzheimer’s drug developers accuse clinical trial sites of faking data T3D Therapeutics alleges that contract researchers delivered “medically impossible” results on its candidate drug

Nice piece in @science.org by @charlespiller.bsky.social on clinical trial firms: www.science.org/content/arti... (Warning—quotes me) Even gives me the last sentence: "Greely says..'Will you ever know [if trial results are being doctored]? Certainly not if you never look.'”

Excited that a box of the paperback edition of my book, “Doctored” just arrived. On sale everywhere on Jan 13. www.simonandschuster.com/books/Doctor...

Exclusive: Have scientists found Leonardo da Vinci’s DNA? Inside the decadeslong quest to reveal the genes of a genius—and revolutionize art authentication

🧪 EXCLUSIVE 🧪 from @science.org: Scientists have swabbed a 500-year-old drawing attributed to Leonardo da Vinci—and may have found a piece of his DNA. www.science.org/content/arti...

Yes, really. A quick thread:

Alzheimer’s drug developers accuse clinical trial sites of faking data T3D Therapeutics alleges that contract researchers delivered

My latest story: Alzheimer’s drug developers accuse clinical trial sites of faking data | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...

Another Masliah retraction.

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cc: @mumumouse2.bsky.social @elisabethbik.bsky.social @charlespiller.bsky.social and Matthew Schrag.

Cheers to 2025: In which Retraction Watch turned 15, and The Center For Scientific Integrity really became a center We always enjoy our annual review of the year at Retraction Watch, and 2025 is no exception. But we’re more excited about what lies ahead than what we already accomplished.  We’re on track for…

2025: In which Retraction Watch turned 15, and The Center For Scientific Integrity really became a center retractionwatch.com/2025/12/30/c...

Opinion | Reflecting on yet another year of scientific fraud at the University of Minnesota Allegations a scientist doctored images in a paper on Alzheimer’s. Rachel Hardeman's resignation. An investigation into a pediatrician's reports of child abuse. The U saw a number of scientific scanda...

Opinion | Reflecting on yet another year of scientific fraud at the University of Minnesota via @carlelliott.bsky.social "Deny wrongdoing, stonewall reporters, punish dissenters and wait for it all to blow over." www.startribune.com/umn-professo...

My book “Doctored: Fraud, Arrogance, and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer’s” www.simonandschuster.com/books/Doctor... picked by NY Post among best of 2025. Paperback out 1/13. I’m honored to be among the illustrious authors on their list. nypost.com/2025/12/27/e...

Another Lesné paper retracted 4 years after I first flagged some concerns.

Thanks to all who helped on this project: @elisabethbik.bsky.social @mumumouse2.bsky.social @charlespiller.bsky.social, Matthew Schrag, and other anons.

pubpeer.com/publications...

The Retraction Watch Hijacked Journal Checker now has 400 entries Sham journals that mimic real ones can fool unsuspecting authors who are submitting a manuscript, researchers looking for references for papers — and even indexing services aiming to be comprehensi…

The Retraction Watch Hijacked Journal Checker now has 400 entries retractionwatch.com/2025/12/26/r...

Doctored An Economist Best Book of 2025 So Far For readers of Empire of Pain and Dopesick, a “gripping story of medical groupthink and warped incentives” (T...

My book "Doctored: Fraud, Arrogance, and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer's" www.simonandschuster.com/books/Doctor... tops @thetransmitter.bsky.social most-read excerpt list for 2025. www.thetransmitter.org/books/the-tr...

Finally! Another key paper by Sylvain Lesné re purported key Alzheimer’s-related protein amyloid-beta *56 is retracted. Validates findings by @thatsregrettab1.bsky.social @elisabethbik.bsky.social Matthew Schrag et al www.science.org/doi/full/10.... my original story: www.science.org/content/arti...

U.S. senator asks Science to provide its coronavirus manuscripts, emails Rand Paul has blasted government science officials and scientists over COVID-19’s origin

In a disturbing, chilling move, U.S. senator asks Science (including Science journalists) to provide its coronavirus manuscripts, emails | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...

ORI has released just two misconduct findings this year The U.S. Office of Research Integrity has been relatively quiet in 2025, releasing just two misconduct findings with only two weeks remaining in the year — the fewest the office has released since …

ORI has released just two misconduct findings this year - Shocking but not surprising. via @katetravis.bsky.social retractionwatch.com/2025/12/18/o...