The Scientific Integrity of Applied Research

This paper reviews some of the threats to scientific independence in the Netherlands that have recently alerted the scientific community. The problems are not only apparent in research requested by the government or local authorities; they are also found in a variety of research fields. They are essentially related to the increasing dearth of research funding in the universities. In Europe in general, and the Netherlands in particular, there are no large, independent research foundations which exist elsewhere, so research funding generally depends on funding by government, local authorities or industry. The problem has long been underappreciated and no effective action has been taken. However, more recently and as a consequence of media reports, a number of drastic measures are being taken. This paper deals first with the nature of the threats to the integrity of scientific research, and then reviews the type of actions that have been, and could be taken.