King’s to review ethics approval after parliamentary study row

Provost admits researchers triggered “shock and anger” by faking emails from constituents to parliamentarians

King’s College London is launching an independent review into its ethical approval processes for research, after social scientists from the institution used fictitious identities in emails to MPs as part of a study.

In a letter published on 19 April, Evelyn Welch, interim president and principal and provost at King’s, said there was “shock and deep anger that we would undertake such a study” when it emerged earlier this year that King’s scientists had sent emails that used fictitious identities purporting to come from constituents to MPs.