Gideon Koren,
FACMT, FRCP(C) ( he, גדעון קורן; born August 27, 1947 in
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...
,
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
) is an
Israeli
Israeli may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the State of Israel
* Israelis, citizens or permanent residents of the State of Israel
* Modern Hebrew, a language
* ''Israeli'' (newspaper), published from 2006 to 2008
* Guni Israeli ...
-
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
pediatrician
Pediatrics ( also spelled ''paediatrics'' or ''pædiatrics'') is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, paediatrics covers many of their youth until the ...
, clinical
pharmacologist
Pharmacology is a branch of medicine, biology and pharmaceutical sciences concerned with drug or medication action, where a drug may be defined as any artificial, natural, or endogenous (from within the body) molecule which exerts a biochemica ...
,
toxicologist
Toxicology is a scientific discipline, overlapping with biology, chemistry, pharmacology, and medicine, that involves the study of the adverse effects of chemical substances on living organisms and the practice of diagnosing and treating ex ...
, and a
composer
A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music.
Etymology and Defi ...
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
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, which was later shut down amid controversy.
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.
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.
Koren is perhaps best known for multiple scientific and public scandals. He was at the centre of the
Motherisk scandal 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. Even before this scandal came to light, Koren was officially reprimanded by the
Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) is the regulatory college for medical doctors in Ontario, Canada.
The college issues certificates of registration for all doctors to allow them to practise medicine as well as:
monitors an ...
for writing harassing anonymous letters to
Nancy Olivieri
Nancy Fern Olivieri (born 1954) is a prominent Toronto haematologist and researcher with an interest in the treatment of haemoglobinopathies. She is best known for a protracted struggle with the Hospital for Sick Children and the pharmaceutical c ...
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
The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part ...
uncovered a series of problems in the research papers authored by Koren, including that some papers "
ereinadequately 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.
Biography
Early life and academic background
Born in 1947 in
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...
in the
British Mandate of Palestine British Mandate of Palestine or Palestine Mandate most often refers to:
* Mandate for Palestine: a League of Nations mandate under which the British controlled an area which included Mandatory Palestine and the Emirate of Transjordan.
* Mandatory P ...
, prior to the establishment of the
State of Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
, Koren was raised in the neighbouring town of
Kiryat Ono
Kiryat Ono ( he, קִרְיַת אוֹנוֹ) is a city in the Tel Aviv District of Israel. It is located east of Tel Aviv. In it had a population of .
Modern Kiryat Ono is not to be confused with the biblical Ono, which was located in the ar ...
. His father was the chief engineer of
Reading Power Station
Reading power station, Berkshire, England supplied electricity to the town of Reading and the surrounding area from 1895 to the 1960s. It was initially owned and operated by the Reading Electric Supply Company Limited, then from 1933 by the Read ...
of the
Israel Electric Corporation
Israel Electric Corporation ( he, חברת החשמל לישראל, abbreviation: IEC) is the largest supplier of electrical power in Israel and the Palestinian territories. The IEC builds, maintains, and operates power generation stations, sub- ...
.
Koren received his
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin language, Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a profes ...
from the
Sackler School of Medicine
Sackler Faculty of Medicine is a medical school affiliated with Tel Aviv University, located in Tel Aviv, Israel.
History
The Sackler School of Medicine was named for Arthur, Mortimer and Raymond Sackler, and was founded and named prior to the ...
at
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University (TAU) ( he, אוּנִיבֶרְסִיטַת תֵּל אָבִיב, ''Universitat Tel Aviv'') is a public research university in Tel Aviv, Israel. With over 30,000 students, it is the largest university in the country. Locate ...
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 Membrane biology is the study of the biological and physiochemical characteristics of membranes, with applications in the study of cellular physiology.
Membrane bioelectrical impulses are described by the Hodgkin cycle.
Biophysics
Membrane biop ...
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
The University of Western Ontario (UWO), also known as Western University or Western, is a public research university in London, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land, surrounded by residential neighbourhoods and the Thames Ri ...
. At
UWO
The University of Western Ontario (UWO), also known as Western University or Western, is a Public university, public research university in London, Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land, surrounded by resident ...
, he participated in the establishment of a national program in human toxicology, in parallel with his continuing work at the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
and the
Hospital for Sick Children.
Arts background
In parallel to his academic career, Koren is an established composer and author. In 1971, while studying medicine at
TAU
Tau (uppercase Τ, lowercase τ, or \boldsymbol\tau; el, ταυ ) is the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the voiceless dental or alveolar plosive . In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 300.
The name in English ...
, Gideon "Gidi" Koren founded the Israeli musical group,
The Brothers & the Sisters The Brothers & the Sisters ( he, האחים והאחיות, ''Ha'Achim Veha'Achayot'') is a group of four Israeli singers, two men and two women, that was active between 1971 and 1983, and made a comeback in 2003. The group sang mostly pop-folk song ...
(''ha'achim veha'achayot''), which features an Israeli folk/country style. The band performed many of Koren's songs and musical plays for children.
In 1974, in collaboration with Israeli performer
Shlomo Artzi
Shlomo Artzi ( he, שלמה ארצי) is an Israeli folk rock musician, composer, music producer, radio broadcaster columnist and singer-songwriter.
He was born on November 26, 1949, in Moshav Alonei Abba. In the course of his career, he has so ...
, Koren composed a record album based on his grandmother Keri's story, ''A Journey to Noteland.'' A
musical
Musical is the adjective of music.
Musical may also refer to:
* Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
* Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
based on the book and CD of ''A Journey to Noteland'' had its stage debut in Israel in 2008 and continues to be performed.
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.
In 2005, The Brothers & The Sisters toured North America following the publication of a commemorative Hebrew-English book of the Israeli poet
Natan Yonatan
Nathan Yonathan ( he, נָתָן יֹונָתָן; 20 September 1923 – 12 March 2004) was an Israeli poet.
His poems have been translated from Hebrew and published in more than a dozen languages, among them: Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, Dutch ...
’s poetry, accompanied by a CD of his songs, set to music by Koren and performed by the band. 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
Leah Goldberg or Lea Goldberg ( he, לאה גולדברג; May 29, 1911, Königsberg – January 15, 1970, Jerusalem) was a prolific Hebrew-language poet, author, playwright, literary translator, and comparative literary researcher.
Her writ ...
,
Rachel
Rachel () was a Biblical figure, the favorite of Jacob's two wives, and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, two of the twelve progenitors of the tribes of Israel. Rachel's father was Laban. Her older sister was Leah, Jacob's first wife. Her aun ...
,
Amir Gilboa
Amir Gilboa (Hebrew: אמיר גלבע) (born 25 September 1917 – died 2 September 1984) was an Israeli poet. Gilboa was awarded the Israel Prize for literature in 1982.
Biography
Berl Feldmann (later Amir Gilboa) was born to a Jewish family ...
, and
Ze’ev Jabotinsky.
Professional career
In 1985, Koren founded
The Hospital for Sick Children's
Motherisk Program in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, Ontario, Canada, which he directed until his retirement in June 2015.
The program has since been shut down amid controversy.
Publications
Koren has published 15 medical books, among them:
* ''Retinoids in Clinical Practice: The Risk-Benefit Ratio (Medical Toxicology)''. New York: M. Dekker, 1993. ()
* ''The Children of Neverland: The Silent Human Disaster''. Toronto: Kid in Us, 1997. ()
* ''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. ()
* ''Medication Safety in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding''. New York: McGraw-Hill, Health Professions Division, 2007. ()
* ''Medication Safety in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: The Evidence-Based, A to Z Clinician's Pocket Guide''. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical, 2007. ()
Deferiprone controversy
In 1996, a controversy erupted about the safety and effectiveness of deferiprone. Koren believed the drug was effective for certain patients.
Nancy Olivieri
Nancy Fern Olivieri (born 1954) is a prominent Toronto haematologist and researcher with an interest in the treatment of haemoglobinopathies. She is best known for a protracted struggle with the Hospital for Sick Children and the pharmaceutical c ...
of Toronto believed the drug was unsafe and ineffective. Following the initial controversy surrounding this drug trial in Toronto, Koren sent five anonymous harassing letters to colleagues and later denied having done so. 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. 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."
A later study reported no evidence that long-term therapy with deferiprone caused progression of hepatic fibrosis. Cumulative worldwide experience has confirmed Koren's position on deferiprone, indicating that deferiprone is safe and effective for some patients. As a direct result of Olivieri's public media campaign, approval for the medication was stalled, meaning that North American children continued to be denied a medication which had since been approved around the world in dozens of countries and could be the only hope for survival for some children.
Koren was officially reprimanded by the
Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) is the regulatory college for medical doctors in Ontario, Canada.
The college issues certificates of registration for all doctors to allow them to practise medicine as well as:
monitors an ...
for writing harassing anonymous letters to
Nancy Olivieri
Nancy Fern Olivieri (born 1954) is a prominent Toronto haematologist and researcher with an interest in the treatment of haemoglobinopathies. She is best known for a protracted struggle with the Hospital for Sick Children and the pharmaceutical c ...
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.
Scientific misconduct
On December 16, 2018, an investigative article in
The Toronto Star
The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part ...
reported apparent problems in more than 400 papers coauthored by Koren, including that the papers "
ereinadequately peer-reviewed, fail to declare, perhaps even obscure, conflicts of interest and, in a handful of cases, contain lies about the methodology.”
In 2019 Koren threatened a defamation lawsuit against the editor of ''Therapeutic Drug Monitoring'' for retracting one of Koren's papers.
In February 2019, Koren agreed to relinquish his licence to practice medicine in
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
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.
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.
See also
*
List of scientific misconduct incidents
Scientific misconduct is the violation of the standard codes of scholarly conduct and ethical behavior in the publication of professional scientific research. A '' Lancet'' review on ''Handling of Scientific Misconduct in Scandinavian countries ...
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Koren, Gideon
1947 births
Living people
Canadian medical researchers
Canadian toxicologists
Canadian pediatricians
Canadian pharmacologists
Israeli songwriters
Israeli emigrants to Canada
Jewish Canadian musicians
Jewish Canadian writers
Jewish songwriters
Jews in Mandatory Palestine
People from Tel Aviv
University of Toronto faculty
University of Western Ontario faculty