A new panel set up to combat medical research fraud has called on universities and the NHS to view such misconduct as seriously as financial fraud.

The UK Panel for Research Integrity in Health and Biomedical Sciences, launched today, will be funded for three years by universities, the NHS and such bodies as Hefce and the Medical Research Council.

Michael Farthing, medicine pro-vice chancellor at the University of London, said the panel would not "police or investigate" claims of research misconduct but, following a US model, would encourage institutions to be self-regulating. The panel will also support whistleblowers alleging research fraud

Prof Farthing said research misconduct was too often dismissed as "laboratory or clinical naughtiness". He pointed to the example of Aubrey Blumsohn, a senior lecturer at Sheffield University and a bone specialist, who warned the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research that he had grave doubts about some of the research it had published under his name.

Dr Blumsohn subsequently spoke to the media about his misgivings, after which the university threatened to sack him. It is understood he has reached a settlement with Sheffield and has since left the university.

Prof Farthing said Dr Blumsohn was a "very sophisticated whistleblower who could not find an ear".

"Instead of taking it seriously, [the university] suspended him," Prof Farthing said.

He said it was a "great embarrassment in the UK" that there was no mechanism to audit research misconduct, meaning there was no way to determine how widespread the problem was or its costs to the community.

Prof Farthing, who secured funding from the main public sector research bodies for the panel, said: "Although the level of malpractice in research has not been measured, it has been estimated that up to 1% of clinical trials include an element of misconduct.

"The panel's work will bring greater transparency [as to the] type and frequency of research misconduct in the UK and will contribute to its reduction."

Professor Sir Ian Kennedy, who will chair the board responsible for overseeing the panel, said: "The UK's research community needs to demonstrate its integrity in the conduct of research. The poor practice and misconduct of a few undermine public confidence and can put volunteers and patients at risk.

"There is always a danger of a public backlash against biomedical research because of a few high-profile cases. Biomedical research is essential, but it must be conducted in such a way that the public has confidence in it and that what is published in the medical literature stands up to scrutiny and can be relied on."