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Gideon Koren

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Gideon Koren
גדעון קורן
Born (1947-08-27) 27 August 1947 (age 77)
Tel Aviv, Israel
NationalityIsraeli-Canadian
Known forFounder of the Motherisk Program, research controversies, and Israeli folk music composition
Scientific career
FieldsPediatrics, clinical pharmacology, toxicology
InstitutionsHospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto
Musical career
GenresIsraeli folk music
Occupation(s)Composer, musician

Gideon Koren, FACMT, FRCP(C) (Hebrew: גדעון קורן; born August 27, 1947, in Tel Aviv, Israel) is an Israeli-Canadian pediatrician, clinical pharmacologist, toxicologist, and a composer of Israeli folk music. He was a doctor at the Hospital for Sick Children and a professor at the University of Toronto. In 1985, Koren founded the Motherisk Program in Toronto, which was later shut down amid controversy.[1] Furthermore, multiple scientific papers authored by Koren have been subject to concerns regarding academic and research misconduct, leading to the retraction of six research articles and editorial expression of concerns on multiple others.[2] Koren currently has relinquished his licence to practice medicine due to an ongoing investigation into whether he committed “professional misconduct or was incompetent” while he was in charge of the Hospital for Sick Children’s Motherisk laboratory.[3]

Koren is perhaps best known for multiple scientific and public scandals. He was at the centre of the Motherisk scandal[4] which has thrown into doubt the findings of 16,000 child protection cases and six criminal cases. An independent review found that neither the laboratory's director, clinical toxicologist Gideon Koren, nor his staff, had the qualifications or expertise to do the kind of forensic work that was performed.[5] Even before this scandal came to light, Koren was officially reprimanded by the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons for writing harassing anonymous letters to Nancy Olivieri and three other colleagues, about which he then lied repeatedly to conceal his responsibility. On December 16, 2018, an investigative article in The Toronto Star uncovered a series of problems in the research papers authored by Koren, including that some papers "[were] inadequately peer-reviewed, fail to declare, perhaps even obscure, conflicts of interest and, in a handful of cases, contain lies about the methodology", leading to the retraction of five research articles and editorial expression of concerns on multiple others.[2][6]

Biography

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Early life and academic background

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Born in 1947 in Tel Aviv in the British Mandate of Palestine, prior to the establishment of the State of Israel, Koren was raised in the neighbouring town of Kiryat Ono. His father was the chief engineer of Reading Power Station of the Israel Electric Corporation.

Koren received his Doctor of Medicine from the Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University in 1973. After a period of military service, he pursued postgraduate clinical studies in pediatrics and pediatric nephrology, and research training in pediatric toxicology and pharmacology and membrane biology at the Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto. He joined the staff of the university and hospital, ultimately attaining the rank of professor. He later received the endowed Ivey Chair in Molecular Toxicology at the Schulich School of Medicine at The University of Western Ontario. At UWO, he participated in the establishment of a national program in human toxicology, in parallel with his continuing work at the University of Toronto and the Hospital for Sick Children.[7]

Arts background

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In parallel to his academic career, Koren is an established composer and author. In 1971, while studying medicine at TAU, Gideon "Gidi" Koren founded the Israeli musical group, The Brothers & the Sisters (ha'achim veha'achayot), which features an Israeli folk/country style. The band performed many of Koren's songs and musical plays for children.[8][9][10]

In 1974, in collaboration with Israeli performer Shlomo Artzi, Koren composed a record album based on his grandmother Keri's story, A Journey to Noteland. A musical based on the book and CD of A Journey to Noteland had its stage debut in Israel in 2008 and continues to be performed.[11]

In 1992 Koren founded the Bear Theatre at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. In July 2007 the theatre celebrated 15 years and 750 shows.[12][13][14]

In 2005, The Brothers & The Sisters toured North America following the publication of a commemorative Hebrew-English book of the Israeli poet Natan Yonatan’s poetry, accompanied by a CD of his songs, set to music by Koren and performed by the band.[15][16] The Brothers and the Sisters continue to perform throughout Israel in programs featuring Koren's songs, many of which were written to the words of Israeli poets, including Yehudah Amichai, Leah Goldberg, Rachel, Amir Gilboa, and Ze’ev Jabotinsky.

Professional career

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In 1985, Koren founded The Hospital for Sick Children's Motherisk Program in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which he directed until his retirement in June 2015.[17] The program has since been shut down amid controversy.[1]

Publications

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Koren has published 15 medical books,[18] among them:

  • Retinoids in Clinical Practice: The Risk-Benefit Ratio (Medical Toxicology). New York: M. Dekker, 1993. (ISBN 0824787781)
  • The Children of Neverland: The Silent Human Disaster. Toronto: Kid in Us, 1997. (ISBN 0968180108)
  • The Complete Guide to Everyday Risks in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding: Answers to Your Questions About Morning Sickness, Medications, Herbs, Diseases, Chemical Exposures & More. Toronto: R. Rose, 2004. (ISBN 0-7788-0084-9)
  • Medication Safety in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding. New York: McGraw-Hill, Health Professions Division, 2007. (ISBN 0071448284)
  • Medication Safety in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: The Evidence-Based, A to Z Clinician's Pocket Guide. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical, 2007. (ISBN 0071448276)

Deferiprone controversy

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In 1996, a controversy erupted about the safety and effectiveness of deferiprone. Koren believed the drug was effective for certain patients.[19] Nancy Olivieri of Toronto believed the drug was unsafe and ineffective.[20] Following the initial controversy surrounding this drug trial in Toronto, Koren sent five anonymous harassing letters to colleagues and later denied having done so.[21] Two independent inquiries by the CAUT and CPSO found that Koren had lied about sending the anonymous letters and only admitted guilt when confronted with DNA evidence against him.[22][23] Both also found academic misconduct with respect to the way in which Koren published the research article cited above on the safety and effectiveness of deferiprone. CAUT accepted "the parties’ submissions that this misconduct should not be represented as fraudulent" and further remarked that "It was the behaviour that preceded the research misconduct that the Committee found most unsettling."

Koren was officially reprimanded by the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons for writing harassing anonymous letters to Nancy Olivieri and three other colleagues, about which he then lied repeatedly to conceal his responsibility. The Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons also cited him for additional misconduct in research.[24][25]

Scientific misconduct

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On December 16, 2018, an investigative article in The Toronto Star reported apparent problems in more than 400 papers coauthored by Koren, including that the papers "[were] inadequately peer-reviewed, fail to declare, perhaps even obscure, conflicts of interest and, in a handful of cases, contain lies about the methodology.”[6] In 2019 Koren threatened a defamation lawsuit against the editor of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring for retracting one of Koren's papers.[26]

In February 2019, Koren agreed to relinquish his licence to practice medicine in Ontario in the face of an investigation by the College of Physicians and Surgeons into whether he committed “professional misconduct or was incompetent” while he was in charge of the Hospital for Sick Children’s Motherisk laboratory. He also agreed never to re-apply for a medical licence in the province.[3]

As of 2022, Koren has had six of his research publications retracted, three others have received an expression of concern, and four others have been corrected.[2][27]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "SickKids shuts down Motherisk drug-testing program". www.cbc.ca. Retrieved 2016-03-02.
  2. ^ a b c "Retraction Watch Database". Retraction Watch. The Center for Scientific Integrity. Retrieved 2022-07-10.
  3. ^ a b Gallant, Jacques (February 22, 2019). "Former head of Sick Kids' Motherisk lab gives up medical licence amid investigation". Toronto Star. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  4. ^ www.cubiclefugitive.com. "Home". www.m-hair.ca. Retrieved 2016-03-02.
  5. ^ "From Charles Smith to Motherisk: The importance of questioning 'expert' testimony". www.cbc.ca. Retrieved 2016-03-02.
  6. ^ a b Mendelson, Rachel; Henry, Michele; Bailey, Andrew (2018-12-21). "Inside the flawed world of medical publishing that allowed a lie in a paper coauthored by Dr. Gideon Koren to pollute the scientific record". The Star. Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 2019-02-20.
  7. ^ "The Ivey Chair in Molecular Toxicology - Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry". Schulich.uwo.ca. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  8. ^ "Gidi Koren". Israel-music.com. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  9. ^ "The Tales of Shubi Dubi". Israel-music.com. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  10. ^ "Eretz Hatavim (Traveling in Musicland). Shlomo Artzi Sings and Speaks , Gifts from Israel | Judaica Web Store". Archived from the original on May 19, 2011. Retrieved July 12, 2008.
  11. ^ Kochavi, Noya (October 15, 2008). "A trip to the 70s". City Mouse. Archived from the original on May 21, 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  12. ^ "Reassuring message helps young patients". thestar.com. 28 July 2007. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  13. ^ "TheStar.com - Photo Viewer". www.thestar.com. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  14. ^ "The Hospital for Sick Children - Tails in Bear Theatre". Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-03-30.
  15. ^ "Songs Carved Into Cliffs". Bros-and-sis.com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  16. ^ "Within the Song to Live". Archived from the original on November 21, 2014. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  17. ^ Gallant, Jacques (11 September 2016). "Sick Kids Hospital, Motherisk director point fingers at each other in class-action lawsuit | the Star". The Toronto Star.
  18. ^ "The Hospital for Sick Children - Motherisk". Motherisk.org. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  19. ^ Diav-Citrin O, Atanackovic G, Koren G (February 1999). "An investigation into variability in the therapeutic response to deferiprone in patients with thalassemia major". Therapeutic Drug Monitoring. 21 (1): 74–81. doi:10.1097/00007691-199902000-00011. PMID 10051057. (Retracted, see doi:10.1097/FTD.0000000000000607, PMID 30768496,  Retraction Watch)
  20. ^ Olivieri NF, Brittenham GM, McLaren CE, et al. (August 1998). "Long-term safety and effectiveness of iron-chelation therapy with deferiprone for thalassemia major". The New England Journal of Medicine. 339 (7): 417–23. doi:10.1056/NEJM199808133390701. PMID 9700174.
  21. ^ Report by the CPSO Discipline Committee, p.3
  22. ^ Bonetta, Laura (2000). "Hate-mail author trapped by DNA". Nature Medicine. 6 (4): 364. doi:10.1038/74596. PMID 10742127. S2CID 5342331.
  23. ^ Birmingham, Karen (2000). "No dismissal for hate-mail author". Nature Medicine. 6 (6): 609–10. doi:10.1038/76146. PMID 10835652. S2CID 37793823.
  24. ^ "Koren Reprimanded by Ontario College of Physicians & Surgeons". www.cautbulletin.ca. Retrieved 2016-03-02.
  25. ^ Gallant, Jacques (2014-11-22). "How prominent doctor built the Hospital for Sick Children's Motherisk program into a leading world authority on drugs and pregnant and lactating women". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2016-03-02.
  26. ^ Oransky, Ivan (2019-02-19). "Controversial pediatrics researcher has 20-year-old paper retracted for misconduct". Retraction Watch. Retrieved 2019-02-20.
  27. ^ Marcus, Adam (29 October 2021). "Report by former Motherisk lab director of cocaine exposure in a child is subjected to an expression of concern". Retraction Watch. Center for Scientific Integrity. Retrieved 2021-11-05.
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