Retraction Watch
@retractionwatch.com
A project of The Center For Scientific Integrity https://centerforscientificintegrity.org/
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Database http://retractiondatabase.org
Tips [email protected] (better than @ replies)
Daily newsletter http://eepurl.com/bNRlUn
Database http://retractiondatabase.org
Tips [email protected] (better than @ replies)
Weekend reads: Journal retracts ADHD intervention papers; ‘Science and the crisis of trust’; letters to editors surge
Weekend reads: Journal retracts ADHD intervention papers; ‘Science and the crisis of trust’; letters to editors surge
Former Australian science agency ecology researcher loses two papers Dozens of board members resign from big-data journal after mass staff firings Review mill in Italy targeting ob-gyn journals, re…
retractionwatch.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Weekend reads: Journal retracts ADHD intervention papers; ‘Science and the crisis of trust’; letters to editors surge
An Elsevier journal has retracted a study on the placebo effect coauthored by a researcher known for extreme claims that have failed to withstand scrutiny. The move comes after critics said the researchers misunderstood “what a ‘treatment effect’ is.”
Journal retracts ‘bizarre’ placebo effect paper
An Elsevier journal has retracted a study on the placebo effect coauthored by a researcher known for extreme claims that have failed to withstand scrutiny. The move comes after critics said the res…
retractionwatch.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:52 PM
An Elsevier journal has retracted a study on the placebo effect coauthored by a researcher known for extreme claims that have failed to withstand scrutiny. The move comes after critics said the researchers misunderstood “what a ‘treatment effect’ is.”
"When science is perceived as aligned with political agendas, or when episodes of scientific misconduct receive high-profile media coverage, the legitimacy of science can be damaged, even if such cases are rare."
Science and the crisis of trust
Science today operates in an environment increasingly described as a crisis of trust, where confidence in institutions has eroded and consensus over t…
www.sciencedirect.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:45 AM
"When science is perceived as aligned with political agendas, or when episodes of scientific misconduct receive high-profile media coverage, the legitimacy of science can be damaged, even if such cases are rare."
A week after @bmj.com published a highly publicized paper claiming stem cell therapy can reduce the risk of heart failure, sleuths have unearthed what they are calling “serious” inconsistencies in the data.
Sleuths flag ‘complete mismatch’ in data of BMJ stem cell study
A week after The BMJ published a highly publicized paper claiming stem cell therapy can reduce the risk of heart failure, sleuths have unearthed what they are calling “serious” inconsistencies in t…
retractionwatch.com
November 6, 2025 at 10:59 PM
A week after @bmj.com published a highly publicized paper claiming stem cell therapy can reduce the risk of heart failure, sleuths have unearthed what they are calling “serious” inconsistencies in the data.
Exclusive: Forced to change labs, Kim lost a scholarship and a job offer, and had to repay about AU$90,000 (US$58,400) to his sponsor in South Korea. The university has since offered Kim AU$15,000 (US$9,750) after he sought compensation — although without admitting culpability.
Exclusive: A misconduct ruling, a flawed investigation, and an attempted payoff
University of Melbourne In April 2019, Daejung Kim, then a Ph.D. student at the University of Melbourne in Australia, found a draft manuscript on the desk of a postdoc in the same laboratory. The m…
retractionwatch.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Exclusive: Forced to change labs, Kim lost a scholarship and a job offer, and had to repay about AU$90,000 (US$58,400) to his sponsor in South Korea. The university has since offered Kim AU$15,000 (US$9,750) after he sought compensation — although without admitting culpability.
A network of peer reviewers in Italy is targeting medical journals, threatening “both the scientific record and patient safety,” a team of researchers including @deevybee.bsky.social report.
Review mill in Italy targeting ob-gyn journals, researchers allege
Examples of “boilerplate” text used in the suspect reviews.M.A. Oviedo-Garcia et al/medRxiv 2025 A network of peer reviewers in Italy is targeting medical journals, threatening “both the scientific…
retractionwatch.com
November 4, 2025 at 8:54 PM
A network of peer reviewers in Italy is targeting medical journals, threatening “both the scientific record and patient safety,” a team of researchers including @deevybee.bsky.social report.
More than three-fifths of the editorial board of a @gigascience.bsky.social resigned after the publication’s operations moved from Hong Kong to Shenzhen, China, and the editors and software team were fired with 30 days’ notice.
Dozens of board members resign from big-data journal after mass staff firings
More than three-fifths of the editorial board of a biomedical sciences journal resigned after the publication’s operations moved from Hong Kong to Shenzhen, China, and the editors and software team…
retractionwatch.com
November 3, 2025 at 9:30 PM
More than three-fifths of the editorial board of a @gigascience.bsky.social resigned after the publication’s operations moved from Hong Kong to Shenzhen, China, and the editors and software team were fired with 30 days’ notice.
Former Australian science agency ecology researcher loses two papers
Former Australian science agency ecology researcher loses two papers
One of the retracted papers proposed an epigenetic clock to estimate the age of sea turtles.Brocken Inaglory/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) A molecular ecology researcher has lost two papers and …
retractionwatch.com
November 2, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Former Australian science agency ecology researcher loses two papers
Weekend reads: Another CDC journal in trouble; Web of Science company endorses Iraq awards; on the scarcity of peer reviewers
Weekend reads: Another CDC journal in trouble; Web of Science company endorses Iraq awards; on the scarcity of peer reviewers
Embattled journal Cureus delisted from Web of Science, loses impact factor ‘A new low’: Researchers at Iraqi university must cite colleagues, school journals in papers Challenge accepted: A reader …
retractionwatch.com
November 1, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Weekend reads: Another CDC journal in trouble; Web of Science company endorses Iraq awards; on the scarcity of peer reviewers
@clarivate.com says it takes retractions into account when calculating its highly coveted researcher designations. But Qusay Hassan, who has had 21 papers retracted, was one of several scientists winning accolades at the ministry’s Iraq Education Conference 2025 in Baghdad earlier this month.
Exclusive: Web of Science company involved in dubious awards in Iraq
Hayder A. Dhahad, Iraq’s deputy minister for scientific research affairs, speaks at an awards ceremony at the country’s Science Day celebration. Source: Instagram In the string of prestigious…
retractionwatch.com
October 31, 2025 at 10:08 AM
@clarivate.com says it takes retractions into account when calculating its highly coveted researcher designations. But Qusay Hassan, who has had 21 papers retracted, was one of several scientists winning accolades at the ministry’s Iraq Education Conference 2025 in Baghdad earlier this month.
The problems were so pervasive they abandoned their review and instead began investigating how widespread image duplication was in their field.
Widespread image reuse, manipulation uncovered in animal studies of brain injury
Widespread image reuse, manipulation uncovered in animal studies of brain injury
Widespread image reuse, manipulation uncovered in animal studies of brain injury
One of the papers in the analysis contained a figure (bottom) found to have overlap with other work by the same author (top). Both papers have been retracted. Annotated images: PubPeer More than 20…
retractionwatch.com
October 30, 2025 at 9:21 PM
The problems were so pervasive they abandoned their review and instead began investigating how widespread image duplication was in their field.
Widespread image reuse, manipulation uncovered in animal studies of brain injury
Widespread image reuse, manipulation uncovered in animal studies of brain injury
Challenge accepted: A reader wrote a program to find fake references in books
Challenge accepted: A reader wrote a program to find fake references in books
Hermann/Pixabay Following our coverage this summer of a book with citations that did not exist, we asked you to send us examples of other books with similar issues. One reader took the request as a…
retractionwatch.com
October 28, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Challenge accepted: A reader wrote a program to find fake references in books
Embattled journal Cureus delisted from Web of Science, loses impact factor
Embattled journal Cureus delisted from Web of Science, loses impact factor
Clarivate has removed the mega-journal Cureus from its Master Journal List, according to the October update, released today. The move means Cureus will no longer be indexed in Web of Science …
retractionwatch.com
October 28, 2025 at 1:34 AM
Embattled journal Cureus delisted from Web of Science, loses impact factor
‘A new low’: Researchers at Iraqi university must cite colleagues, school journals in papers, @joelving.bsky.social reports
‘A new low’: Researchers at Iraqi university must cite colleagues, school journals in papers
Mustansiriyah University At the University of Technology in Baghdad, students must publish papers citing the school’s own journals if they wish to graduate, as we reported earlier this month. But d…
retractionwatch.com
October 27, 2025 at 5:52 PM
‘A new low’: Researchers at Iraqi university must cite colleagues, school journals in papers, @joelving.bsky.social reports
Weekend reads: NEJM launches rival to MMWR; Former NIH official gets expression of concern; ‘1 in 5 chemists’ added errors to papers: study
Weekend reads: NEJM launches rival to MMWR; Former NIH official gets expression of concern; ‘1 in 5 chemists’ added errors to papers: study
Exclusive: Journal to retract Alzheimer’s study after investigation finds misconduct Less is more: Academic publishing needs ‘radical change,’ Cambridge press report concludes Exclusive: American H…
retractionwatch.com
October 25, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Weekend reads: NEJM launches rival to MMWR; Former NIH official gets expression of concern; ‘1 in 5 chemists’ added errors to papers: study
Six years after researchers called for the retraction of more than 400 papers about organ transplantation amid suspicion the organs used in the studies came from executed Chinese prisoners, journals are still working to clear the record.
Despite new retractions, suspect organ transplant papers remain in the literature
Six years after researchers called for the retraction of more than 400 papers about organ transplantation amid suspicion the organs used in the studies came from executed Chinese prisoners, journal…
retractionwatch.com
October 24, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Six years after researchers called for the retraction of more than 400 papers about organ transplantation amid suspicion the organs used in the studies came from executed Chinese prisoners, journals are still working to clear the record.
“I have no idea what the impersonator was trying to achieve. Had the organizers not emailed me, but him, with acceptance, would he have shown up pretending to be me? This is very confusing and frankly, disturbing.”
‘Confusing and frankly, disturbing’: When researchers are impersonated
winyoo08/iStock Ariel Karlinsky was confused. A Ph.D. student at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, he had just received a message stating the paper he had submitted to an economics conference in …
retractionwatch.com
October 23, 2025 at 12:38 PM
“I have no idea what the impersonator was trying to achieve. Had the organizers not emailed me, but him, with acceptance, would he have shown up pretending to be me? This is very confusing and frankly, disturbing.”
The American Heart Association is reviewing its decision to give an award to the architect of a controversial theory that is the subject of eight retracted papers, Retraction Watch has learned.
Exclusive: American Heart Association reviewing award to rocket scientist with eight retractions
Source The American Heart Association is reviewing its decision to give an award to the architect of a controversial theory that is the subject of eight retracted papers, Retraction Watch has learn…
retractionwatch.com
October 22, 2025 at 8:51 PM
The American Heart Association is reviewing its decision to give an award to the architect of a controversial theory that is the subject of eight retracted papers, Retraction Watch has learned.
"But although AI and automated tools can significantly improve the detection of fraudulent papers before (and after) they are published, some experts believe that their use is analogous to rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic."
AI tools tackle paper mill fraud overwhelming peer review
th more article submissions and fraudulent activity than ever before, journal peer review processes are creaking under the pressure. Nina Notman discovers how AI and automated tools are taking some of...
www.chemistryworld.com
October 21, 2025 at 10:43 PM
"But although AI and automated tools can significantly improve the detection of fraudulent papers before (and after) they are published, some experts believe that their use is analogous to rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic."
“We fundamentally believe that publishing less – but better – is essential for the health of the entire research system worldwide,” the authors of the report state.
Less is more: academic publishing needs ‘radical change,’ Cambridge press report concludes
Academic publishing needs “renewed focus and collective action” to embrace new approaches and ensure the future of the industry, concludes a report from Cambridge University Press, released last we…
retractionwatch.com
October 21, 2025 at 7:11 PM
“We fundamentally believe that publishing less – but better – is essential for the health of the entire research system worldwide,” the authors of the report state.
A journal says it will retract a 2019 paper on an Alzheimer’s treatment after an institutional investigation found research misconduct, according to emails seen by Retraction Watch.
Exclusive: Journal to retract Alzheimer’s study after investigation finds misconduct
A journal says it will retract a 2019 paper on an Alzheimer’s treatment after an institutional investigation found research misconduct, according to emails seen by Retraction Watch. The move …
retractionwatch.com
October 20, 2025 at 8:59 PM
A journal says it will retract a 2019 paper on an Alzheimer’s treatment after an institutional investigation found research misconduct, according to emails seen by Retraction Watch.
Weekend reads: Spinal researcher gave patients ‘false hope’; HHS admits error in laying off top ethics official; Alzheimer’s fraud trial set to begin
Weekend reads: Spinal researcher gave patients ‘false hope’; HHS admits error in laying off top official; Alzheimer’s fraud trial set to begin
A review claimed a researcher was an expert in sex robots. He’s not Iraqi dean earns another retraction for paper posted for sale on Facebook Sleuth loses paper for duplicate publication after flag…
retractionwatch.com
October 18, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Weekend reads: Spinal researcher gave patients ‘false hope’; HHS admits error in laying off top ethics official; Alzheimer’s fraud trial set to begin
Experts who reviewed the document called the citation requirement “deceptive and despicable” and said it could carry a steep price for the journals involved, one of which is indexed in Scopus.
Exclusive: Iraqi university forcing students to cite its journals to graduate
To earn their degrees, graduate students at the University of Technology in Baghdad not only must publish research in indexed journals. They also are required to cite articles in their school’s own…
retractionwatch.com
October 17, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Experts who reviewed the document called the citation requirement “deceptive and despicable” and said it could carry a steep price for the journals involved, one of which is indexed in Scopus.
Controversial Paxil “Study 329” earns expression of concern after critic sues publisher
Controversial Paxil “Study 329” earns expression of concern after critic sues publisher
After more than 20 years of criticism and calls for retraction, a journal has placed an expression of concern on a study of the antidepressant Paxil in teens that critics say has led to unwarranted…
retractionwatch.com
October 16, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Controversial Paxil “Study 329” earns expression of concern after critic sues publisher
Thrilled to have you in the centerforscientificintegrity.org family!
October 16, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Thrilled to have you in the centerforscientificintegrity.org family!