Briggs affair

Michael Briggs (20 August 1935 – 1986) was an English biochemist forced to resign from his position at Deakin University in Australia, after it was discovered he had faked results pertaining to the contraceptive pill.[1][2][3][4][5][6] Briggs had previously worked for Schering Pharmaceuticals (now part of Bayer).[7]

Events

Concerns about Briggs's work were first raised in 1983[8] though it took years for the fraud to be discovered[9] and some who spoke out received threats.[10][11] Briggs resigned and moved to Spain[12] which impeded the investigation against him.[13][14][15] Investigative journalist Brian Deer found Briggs in Spain, where he confessed to scientific fraud; making up evidence.[16]

Fraud

Briggs claimed to have conducted animal research on beagles at Deakin which could not have been possible as well as use of a hormone not available in Australia.[12] Briggs was found to not have a PhD from Cornell University as he claimed.[11][17][14]

Aftermath

Historian Jan Sapp's materials about the affair have been collated at the University of Melbourne.[18] A report into the affair was conducted by Margery Ramsay in 1988[6] which was going to be the basis of a book subtitled gross scientific misconduct.[19] Briggs's daughter has published a book about her father titled The scientist who wasn't there: a true story of staggering deception.[17][20]

See also

References

  1. ^ Martin, Brian (1989). "Fraud and Australian Academics". NEA Higher Education Journal. V (2): 95–96.
  2. ^ "Professor fabricated research on pill". The Press. 30 September 1987. p. 8.
  3. ^ "Pill research 'faked'". The Press. 30 September 1986. p. 8.
  4. ^ Catrice, Antony (14 October 2022). "'The Briggs Affair Part 1: An academic scandal'". The Deakin Library Blog.
  5. ^ Catrice, Antony (21 October 2022). "'The Briggs Affair Part 2: The push for a University inquiry'". The Deakin Library Blog.
  6. ^ a b Catrice, Antony (8 November 2022). "'The Briggs Affair Part 3: Fallout', The Deakin Library blog". Deakin Library Blog.
  7. ^ Deer, Brian (28 September 1986). "Exposed: the bogus work of Professor Briggs". The Sunday Times.
  8. ^ Martin, Brian (1992). "Scienfitic fraud and the power structure of science". Prometheus: Critical Studies in Innovation. 10: 92–93. doi:10.1080/08109029208629515.
  9. ^ Maslen, Geoffrey (23 August 1990). "The 'six deadly sins' of our intelligentsia". The Canberra Times. p. 8.
  10. ^ Maslen, Geoffrey (17 March 1990). "FAKING IT: Lies from the lab". The Canberra Times. p. 21.
  11. ^ a b Rossiter, E. J. R. (1992). "Reflections of a whistle-blower" (PDF). Nature. 357 (6378): 434–436. Bibcode:1992Natur.357..434R. doi:10.1038/357434a0. PMID 1608440.
  12. ^ a b Grove, J. W. (1996). "The morality of scientists revisited". Minerva. 34: 59. doi:10.1007/BF00124201.
  13. ^ Ewing, Tania (1 March 1990). "Australia's new guidelines". Nature. 344 (6261): 7. Bibcode:1990Natur.344....7E. doi:10.1038/344007a0.
  14. ^ a b Lock, Stephen. "4". Reseach misconduct 1974-1990: an imperfect history. p. 57.
  15. ^ Purchase, Iain F. H. (2004). "Fraud, errors and gamesmanship in experimental toxicology". Toxicology. 202 (1–2): 1–20. Bibcode:2004Toxgy.202....1P. doi:10.1016/j.tox.2004.06.029.
  16. ^ Deer, Brian (28 September 1986). "The pill: professor's safety tests were faked". The Sunday Times.
  17. ^ a b Chaudhuri, Anita (9 July 2025). "My father, the fake: was anything he told me actually true?". The Guardian.
  18. ^ Smith, Ailie; McCarthy, Ann (January 2007). "Guide to the Records of Dr Jan Sapp Regarding the Briggs Affair". The University of Melbourne eScholarship Research Centre. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  19. ^ Veit-Brause, Irmline (2004). ""The Beagle Boys"︁ Commercial Contracts, Institutional Controls and Individual Courage". Berichte zur Wissenschaftsgeschichte. 27 (3): 174–256. doi:10.1002/bewi.200401018.
  20. ^ Robinson, Andrew (22 August 2025). "How a fraudulent scientist faked his career and other cautionary tales: Books in brief". Nature. 644 (8078): 869. Bibcode:2025Natur.644..869R. doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02639-y.
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