The Vrije Universiteit Brussel is revoking the PhD of Hatem Abu Hashim, which was awarded to him in 2013 for the thesis “Ovulation induction in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): An appraisal of different strategies”. The decision comes after an investigation by the VUB Committee for Scientific Integrity and a second opinion by the Flemish Commission for Scientific Integrity. Both bodies ruled that the thesis involved a serious violation of scientific integrity, including the falsification of statistical results.
For the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, scientific integrity and ethical responsibility are the pillars of excellent and socially relevant research. Researchers must be able to trust and build on each other’s knowledge and expertise. The university will not tolerate any violation of this scientific integrity and therefore takes every complaint extremely seriously.
In September 2021, the VUB Committee for Scientific Integrity (VUB CWI) received a formal complaint about possible breaches of scientific integrity by Hatem Abu Hashim. After thorough investigation, a number of serious violations were identified in his thesis, including lack of statistical validity, undeclared reuse of subjects, falsifying statistical results and likely fabrication of data. These are violations that had an impact on the conclusions of his doctoral research.
In July 2022, Abu Hashim submitted a request for a second opinion to the Flemish Commission for Scientific Integrity (VCWI). After an equally thorough investigation, the VCWI came to findings that were fully in line with those of CWI-VUB. The commission concluded that it is highly unlikely that the reported experiments actually took place. The VCWI judged the fabrication of data to be proven.
VUB subsequently decided to revoke the title of doctor of medical sciences awarded to Hatem Abu Hashim. For publications that were shown to rely on incorrect statistical data from his thesis, we will request that they be withdrawn and/or removed from the journals and databases concerned. Furthermore, VUB will inform Mansoura University in Egypt, to which Abu Hashim is affiliated, of the decisions. It is also taking steps to ensure that statistical research results are better verified in the future.
Vice-rector for Research Pieter Ballon: “In a world full of disinformation, science with integrity is essential for trust in science. If doubts about that integrity arise at any point, we as a university must take responsibility. That means, among other things, that the university will thoroughly investigate any report, and that we will take the necessary decisions if it appears that trust was violated.”
Abu Hashim’s promoters were not involved in the breaches of scientific integrity.