Internal fraud

Internal fraud is an act committed by at least one internal party (typically an employee) that leads to data theft and/or loss. Information technology creates a tempting environment for employees to create fraud not only because the payoff from such activities can be high but also because the risk of detection is minimal. 

The introduction of GCP has accelerated the need for quality control and quality assurance, particularly in the field of clinical research. Quality control is carried out by the staff who are responsible for the particular activity, working to SOPs that cover all the tasks under scrutiny. SOPs not only need to be written but must also be updated regularly. Quality assurance is the process which seeks to confirm that SOPs have been observed this is accomplished by the process of auditing. Internal audit departments should be under a separate management from the medical department. Regular audits can not only assure external bodies, such as regulatory authorities, that proper procedures have been followed, but also serve to deter those rare attempts at fraud on the part of clinical investigators, which occasionally become evident. ... 

Validated food analysis methods are used for compliance with food legislation in the internal EU market and global trade. They serve likewise to detect fraud, to test for the authenticity of specifically labelled food products and to monitor specific substances for exposure assessment (e.g. EU pesticides programme). 

It is important to recognize that the internal code of science has evolved over time. While the broad principles of the code go back to the early days of the Royal Society of London, specific details and norms of scientific practice have changed significantly since Boyle and Newton (Holton 1994). Therefore, recent charges of scientific fraud directed at historical personages should be regarded with some skepticism. 

T. Nutnmedal, Fraud and the Problem of Authority in Early Modem Alchemy, The International Conference on the History of Alchemy and Chymistry, Chemical Heritage Foundation, Philadelphia, 19-22 July 2006. 

Every person involved in clinical research, be he/ she a monitor, an auditor, a statistician, a medical adviser, a medical director, a head of department, a co-investigator, a company or health service chief executive, or a university vice-chancellor, should be committed to such a policy and to its publicity, not least to act as a deterrent, in a determination to stamp out fraud in clinical research if it is humanly possible. Every international company, every regulatory authority, and every individual pharmaceutical physician should strive to ensure that there is an effective mechanism in place, in every country, by which anyone who commits fraud can be summarily dealt with. Only the utmost vigor in applying this policy will be successful, but it is in the ultimate interests of patient safety that this happens. 

G. E. Adams in Proceedings 2nd International Symposium Radiation Protection and Sensitization (Ed. N. Moroson and M. Quintiliani), Taylor and Frauds, London, 1970, p. 12. 

Anonymous. 1935. Convention international pour I unification des methodes d analyse des vins dans le commerce international, 1935. Ann. ferment. 1, 310-319 see also Ann. feds, et fraudes 28, 418-426 (1935.)... 

Marcille, R. 1933. Observations sur les nouveUes mAthodes officielles de dosage des aciditAs dans les vins. Ann. fals. et fraudes 26, 286-292 see also Bull, office intern, vin 6(67), 39-44 (1933). 

National Audit Office. 2006. International Benchmark of Fraud and Error in Social Security Systems. Report by the Gomptroller and Auditor General. London National Audit Office. 

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