Academics must speak up about research that could cause harm

'As UKRIO puts it, universities and researchers “are ultimately accountable to the general public and should act accordingly”.' I am sure that if the general public were genuinely aware of what goes on in academia, and how much is kept behind closed doors or swept under the carpet, then they would snatch up their pitchforks and lay siege to the Ivory Tower ... but UKRIO the universities, and the researchers themselves (in peril of their careers) do their best to make sure the curtains remain shut.

There is no recourse for those complaining to a University Research Ethics Committee about an evident breach of ethical standards by a researcher. If a University upholds the judgement of the REC, the complainant can only raise the matter with the journal responsible for publishing it, which will then declare that their responsibility ends with the judgement of the University REC. This is a catch-22 brought about by UKRI's failure to provide a channel for reviewing university decisions. Instead, universities are made corporately responsible for research ethics decisions and, surprise, surprise, they act to protect their brand. COPE is silent, too.