Gideon Koren

Gideon Koren, FACMT, FRCP(C) (Hebrew: גדעון קורן; born August 27, 1947) is an Israeli-Canadian pediatrician, clinical pharmacologist, toxicologist, and composer.

While in medical school in 1971, Koren founded The Brothers and The Sisters, a prominent Israeli musical group during the 1970s and early 1980s, for which he was the manager and principal composer.

Koren emigrated to Canada in 1982, where he worked as a physician at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and served as a professor at the University of Toronto. In 1985, Koren established Motherisk, a clinical and research program at The Hospital for Sick Children that later closed following controversy. Several scientific publications by Koren have been subject to scrutiny over academic and research practices, resulting in the retraction of six articles and the issuance of editorial expressions of concern for others. The laboratory became the focus of a scandal that raised concern about the reliability of forensic toxicology testing used in approximately 16,000 child protection cases and six criminal cases. An independent review concluded that Koren and his staff lacked the qualifications required for the forensic testing performed.

In 2018, The Toronto Star published an investigative report identifying concerns in Koren’s research, including inadequate peer review, undeclared conflicts of interest, and inaccuracies in methodology. This reporting contributed to further retractions of Koren’s scientific publications.

Music career In 1971, while studying medicine at Tel Aviv University, Koren founded the Israeli musical group The Brothers & The Sisters, which became one of the notable Israeli groups of the 1970s and 1980s. The band performed many of Koren’s compositions, including children’s songs and musicals. In 1974, he collaborated with singer Shlomo Artzi on an album based on his grandmother Keri’s story A Journey to Noteland. A stage musical adaptation of A Journey to Noteland premiered in Israel in 2008.

In 1992, Koren founded the Bear Theatre at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. In 2005, The Brothers & The Sisters toured North America following the publication of a bilingual commemorative volume of the poetry of Natan Yonatan, accompanied by a CD of Koren’s musical settings of the poems. The group continues to perform in Israel, often featuring Koren’s compositions, many of which are set to works by Israeli poets.

Medical career and controversies Koren founded the Motherisk Program at the Hospital for Sick Children in 1985, which he directed until his retirement in 2015. The program later closed following concerns about the reliability of its forensic toxicology testing, which had been used in thousands of child protection and criminal cases. An independent review concluded that the laboratory staff lacked the necessary expertise for forensic work. During the dispute, Koren sent five anonymous letters to Olivieri and three other colleagues and initially denied responsibility. Two inquiries—by the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO)—found that Koren had authored the letters and misrepresented his role until confronted with DNA evidence taken from the envelopes. Both bodies also cited academic misconduct in connection with a related publication, though CAUT stated the misconduct should not be described as fraudulent. The CPSO formally reprimanded Koren for the letters and his repeated denials.

Scientific misconduct In December 2018, The Toronto Star reported problems in more than 400 scientific papers coauthored by Koren, including inadequate peer review, undeclared conflicts of interest, and inaccuracies in methodology. This reporting led to retractions and editorial expressions of concern regarding several of his publications. In 2019, Koren threatened legal action against the editor of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring after one of his papers was retracted. In February 2019, he agreed to relinquish his licence to practice medicine in Ontario while under investigation by the CPSO for alleged professional misconduct and incompetence in relation to the Motherisk laboratory. He also agreed not to reapply for a medical licence in Ontario.

As of 2022, six of his research publications have been retracted, three have received an expression of concern, and four others have been corrected.

Books 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.