A pharmaceutical industry scientist who falsified test results for an anti-cancer drug has been jailed for three months.

Steven Eaton, 47, faked research data on an experimental drug in 2009 to persuade his employer, Aptuit, to fund clinical tests of the drug.

His bogus data, which made a failed test appear successful, could have resulted in an unsafe drug being tested on humans.

Aptuit, a US company at whose Edinburgh R&D site Eaton was employed, identified the fraud and reported Eaton to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

An MHRA investigation revealed that Eaton had been inaccurately reporting data since 1993.

Eaton is the first researcher to be found guilty of breaking the Good Laboratory Practice Regulations (1999).

Sheriff Michael O’Grady commented: “My sentencing powers in this are wholly inadequate. You could have caused cancer patients unquestionable harm.”

Gerald Heddell, the MHRA’s director of inspection, enforcement and standards, said: “This conviction sends a message that we will not hesitate to prosecute those whose actions have the potential to harm public health.”

A former medical salesman has been jailed for up to 12 months for stealing $1.8 million worth of surgical devices.

Joseph Raymond, 39, from Orchard Park, USA, stole a collection of implants and other devices over the course of five years, whilst working for Synthes USA Sales.

Mr Raymond pleaded guilty to grand larceny and tax crimes and told the judge he takes “full responsibility” for his actions, which also included underpaying taxes and cheating his lawyer.

Bank cheques for $60,000 to an attorney of his former employer and $3,040 to a representative of the Department of Taxation and Finance, compensating them for his crimes, were recovered as evidence.

Erie County Judge Michael Pietruszka told Mr Raymond that he planned to sentence him to seven years imprisonment before learning that he had made full repayment.

It was heard that Mr Raymond voluntarily surrendered $1.7 million in surgical devices when first confronted by investigators. The equipment, which was originally destined for Buffalo’s Mercy Hospital, had been stored in Mr Raymond’s garage for safekeeping.

Defence Attorney Rodney Personius added that the $60,000 worth of medical technology that Mr Raymond had tried to sell consisted of “obsolete items” that Synthes had replaced with updated products.