Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has consented to pay $15 million to resolve federal accusations of violating the False Claims Act by providing false statements and misappropriating funds associated with National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants over a span of ten years.
The settlement, revealed by the U.S. Department of Justice, addresses claims that from 2014 to 2024, the Boston-based cancer research and treatment facility submitted deceptive certifications and misused federal research funds. Dana-Farber operates several facilities throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire and receives significant federal funding for scientific research.
Federal officials claimed that researchers at Dana-Farber utilized funds from six NIH grants to create scientific publications that included misrepresented or duplicated images and data. The settlement indicates that 14 journal articles reused identical images to represent different experiments, testing conditions, animals, or time points, or modified images through rotation or magnification. Investigators also discovered that a supervising researcher did not adequately oversee the work and that some grant funds were allocated to unallowable expenses.
Furthermore, the government alleged that another researcher at Dana-Farber secured four NIH grants after submitting applications that depended on a journal article without revealing that certain images and data in that publication were misrepresented or duplicated. Prosecutors argued that these actions led to false claims being submitted to NIH by certifying compliance with grant requirements and obtaining funding through misleading information.
“There is no place in scientific research, particularly cancer research, for fraud, waste and abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts, emphasizing the reliance patients and the medical community place on the integrity of research findings. Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate added that the settlement underscores the government’s commitment to protecting the integrity of federal research funding.
As part of the agreement, Dana-Farber admitted to the underlying conduct but the settlement does not include a formal determination of liability. The institute cooperated with the government’s investigation, voluntarily disclosed additional allegations of research misconduct, produced materials without subpoenas, and implemented remedial measures. That cooperation was cited by the Justice Department as a factor in resolving the case.
The settlement also resolves a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the False Claims Act by Sholto David, who will receive $2.63 million as his share of the recovery. The case was brought on behalf of the United States and investigated jointly by the Justice Department and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
Federal officials said the case highlights ongoing efforts to combat healthcare and research fraud and to ensure that taxpayer-funded scientific research meets rigorous ethical and professional standards.
