Should experts who are plant-based be held to the same standards of ethics that we expect of other researchers? Dr. Joel Fuhrman designed and carried out a DHA study for a supplement he sells. Just before his study was sent to journals for possible publication, Dr. Fuhrman’s website was scrubbed of several mentions Dr. Fuhrman had put out about his role as a “principal investigator” in the study. Since the study was published (without listing him as a co-author), Dr. Fuhrman has used it to market his supplements while publicly denying that he had any involvement in it. However, examining the (deleted) many public statements he made during the study itself about his involvement, it’s clear he played a major role. Ghost authorship – where an author or funding source of a study is hidden from the public in an attempt to conceal conflicts of interest – is considered unethical and constitutes scientific misconduct.
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Links mentioned in this video:
DHA not recommended for heart disease:
https://newsroom.heart.org/news/fish-oil-supplements-may-help-prevent-death-after-a-heart-attack-but-lack-evidence-of-cardiovascular-benefit-for-the-general-population
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000482
Dr. Fuhrman sells DHA in 2002:
https://web.archive.org/web/20021017105559/http://drfuhrman.com:80/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=DFOS
https://web.archive.org/web/20021126194416/http://drfuhrman.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=DFOS&Product_Code=O-MEGA-ZEN3-40
VITAL STUDY: DHA DOES NOT PREVENT CANCER:
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1811403
2005: Dr. Fuhrman selling his own brand of DHA:
https://web.archive.org/web/20051030033609/http://www.drfuhrman.com/shop/supplements.aspx
Dr. Fuhrman’s DHA Study:
https://www.clinicalnutritionjournal.com/article/S0261-5614(14)00076-4/fulltext
Dr. Greger’s video promoting Dr. Fuhrman’s DHA study:
https://nutritionfacts.org/video/should-vegans-take-dha-to-preserve-brain-function/
Dr. Fuhrman Touting his DHA Study:
Go to 0:54- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgtDFnWICM8
Go to 1:55- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPKI5zS9Vfc
Go to 1:06:40- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MV7Z3IVdHXU
Quest Diagnostics – “Optimal Omega 3 = greater than 3.2%”
https://testdirectory.questdiagnostics.com/test/test-detail/91001/omega-3-and–6-fatty-acids?cc=MASTER
OmegaQuant says 8% and above – optimal
Dr. Fuhrman denies involvement in his DHA study:
Go to 16:55:
https://www.facebook.com/LilliansRadioShow/videos/301812637408213/UzpfSTg4OTk5OTkwMzU5OjEwMTYxOTA4MTM0MzY1MzYw/
Go to 34:58:
45:26
Dr. Fuhrman’s public posts stating he is a “principle researcher” of the DHA study:
https://web.archive.org/web/20111104200012/http://www.nutritionalresearch.org:80/content/essential-acid-study-proposal-revealed
https://web.archive.org/web/20120331112751/https:/www.nutritionalresearch.org/survey/
My newsletter showing Dr. Fuhrman was principal investigator in DHA stud:
https://vegsource.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/archive/news/20120410222503/
VRG post showing Dr. Fuhrman was principal investigator in DHA stud:
Jack Norris RD post showing Dr. Fuhrman was principal investigator in DHA study:
2012 Updates list Fuhrman as principal investigator on study website:
https://web.archive.org/web/20121012195201/https://www.nutritionalresearch.org/survey/
https://web.archive.org/web/20130516051000/http://www.nutritionalresearch.org:80/content/essential-acid-study-proposal-revealed
Full text of Dr. Fuhrman’s DHA study:
https://www.clinicalnutritionjournal.com/article/S0261-5614%2814%2900076-4/fulltext
Articles on Ghost Authoring as scientific misconduct:
https://academic.oup.com/painmedicine/article/16/3/416/2460396
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08989620590957175?scroll=top&needAccess=true&journalCode=gacr20
https://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/researchsupport/integrity/code-of-conduct/6-research-misconduct/6-2-types-of-misconduct-in-research
AMA on Medical Ethics:
https://www.ama-assn.org/sites/ama-assn.org/files/corp/media-browser/principles-of-medical-ethics.pdf?source=post_page
Interview with Prof. Marion Nestle
