when it comes to biology and biomedical research there is a high level of distortion that creeps up research papers. Authors and researchers use certain methods to make the data appear more favorable in order to validate a certain conclusion or result.
I noticed that a while back with some research papers I read on climate change and human sexuality.
I think the major problem is funding and social acceptability like you rightly observed. Dissent is hardly tolerated, even in the research World
Yup, stick with the mainstream direction, or risk being an outcast :/