A Japanese anesthesiologist who just notched his sixth retraction apologized for his misconduct and said his institution is now investigating his entire body of work.
Hironobu Ueshima, of Showa University in Tokyo, who has roughly 170 publications, told Retraction Watch by email:
I want to apologize for my misconduct. Showa University has already launched the investigation committee and all my works are currently under the investigation. The committee will make the results public [in the] near future.
One of Ueshima’s co-authors on several of his now-retracted articles includes Hiroshi Otake, also of Showa University. Otake, the chair of the department, is a major player in the field of anesthesiology worldwide. He sits on the board of directors as secretary of the International Anesthesia Research Society, which publishes Anesthesia & Analgesia, one of the leading journals for the specialty.
Otake has not replied to our request for comment.
More on this case here.
Update, 0130 UTC, 6/26/20: Otake tells Retraction Watch:
It is in the process of the investigation of his work by Showa University. The investigation committee will report about his misconduct and the punishment.
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What was the nature of the misconduct? Was it data fabrication or something else?
Really?
https://med.stanford.edu/master-clinical-informatics-management/people/CurrentStudents.html
Clinical Informatics
Management (MCiM)
Stanford Medicine
Current Students
Hiroshi Otake
Hiroshi is currently the Director of Redevelopment Office for Showa University Fujigaoka Hospital and from 2016-2020 was Vice President, Showa University Hospital. He led sixty anesthesiologists,
intensivists, and pain physicians and covered four university-affiliated hospitals. As vice-president, in charge of safety management, infection control, quality management of care and patient services. He introduced the tele-medicine ICU system to cover five critical care units in two hospitals, which are the first in Asia, and was assigned as the director of redevelopment project of the town of Fujigaoka, the joint development with railroad company, Tokyu, and the municipal government, the City of Yokohama.