Publication
Published on: April 21, 2025
Published in: Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics
“Defamation Claims Arising from Research Misconduct Cases: Best Practices for Institutions,” published in the Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, co-authored by Barbara Bierer and Mark Barnes, as well as Nathaniel Jaffe, Minal Caron, and Lauren Walsh, analyzes nine instances in which defamation suits were employed to obstruct misconduct investigations. It summarizes the legal bases of such claims and key defenses (e.g., Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, truth, opinion), then distills institutional best practices—from calibrated public disclosures to stringent confidentiality protocols—to protect both scientific integrity and institutional resilience.
Jaffe N, Caron M, Walsh L, Bierer B, Barnes M. Defamation Claims Arising from Research Misconduct Cases: Best Practices for Institutions. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics. 2025;53(1):47-54. doi:10.1017/jme.2025.37