An engineering journal has retracted two papers for faked or rigged peer review, but authors of one of the papers are objecting to the retraction. The first author of that paper told us he and his co-authors “absolutely disagree” with the retraction, and are prepared to use “legal means” to safeguard their “rights and interests.” He … Continue reading Engineering journal pulls two papers for “compromised” peer review
A journal is pulling additional papers authored by twin brothers for peer review issues. After retracting three papers by Cheng-Wu Chen earlier this year for “compromised” peer review, Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries is now pulling four more by Chen for the same reason — and four others by his twin brother, Chen-Yuan Chen, who was a … Continue reading Authors in 2014 peer review ring lose 4 more papers each for “compromised” review
The British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (BJCP) has retracted a 2015 paper about treating heart failure after deciding its peer review process had been compromised. This paper is one of the many we’ve noticed lately that have been felled by the actions of a “third party” — in this case, a manuscript editing company called … Continue reading Pharmacology journal pulls paper because third party “compromised” peer review
Environmental Geochemistry and Health has retracted two papers after an investigation suggested that the peer-review process had been compromised. In case you’re counting, we’ve now logged approximately 300 retractions stemming from likely faked or rigged peer review. The retraction note — which is the same for both papers — explains a bit more about the situation:
Nature Publishing Group is retracting three papers today, after an investigation found evidence the peer-review process had been compromised. The publisher issued a statement saying they had notified corresponding authors and institutions associated with the three papers, which were all published last year in the journals Cancer Gene Therapy and Spinal Cord. Here’s the note that’s going … Continue reading “Compromised” peer review hits three papers from Nature Publishing Group
A paper that screened for antibodies that target TNFα, a major source of inflammation, has been retraction after an investigation revealed the peer-review process may have been compromised. We’ve seen the peer review process “compromised” in a handful of ways — from a mathematician who oversaw the process on several of his own papers, to some 250 … Continue reading “The peer review process was compromised”: Inflammation drug paper pulled
Unverifiable researchers are a harbinger of paper mill activity. While journals have clues to identifying fake personas — lack of professional affiliation, no profile on ORCID or strings of random numbers in email addresses, to name a few — there isn’t a standard template for doing so. The International Association of Scientific, Technical, & Medical … Continue reading Can a better ID system for authors, reviewers and editors reduce fraud? STM thinks so
International Wound Journal, a Wiley title, has retracted 27 papers since June with notices mentioning “manipulated” or “compromised” peer review. “A comprehensive investigation examining manipulated peer review in this journal is in progress,” a Wiley spokesperson told Retraction Watch. The publisher anticipates retracting more articles as the investigation continues. The first retraction of the batch, … Continue reading Wiley medical journal retracts dozens of papers for manipulated peer review, with more to come
Would you consider a donation to support Weekend Reads, and our daily work? The week at Retraction Watch featured: Our list of retracted or withdrawn COVID-19 papers is up past 400. There are more than 50,000 retractions in The Retraction Watch Database — which is now part of Crossref. The Retraction Watch Hijacked Journal Checker now contains more than 250 titles. And have … Continue reading Weekend reads: Retractions by Nobel Prize winners; privatizing peer review; fake mouse brains
A journal of the UK-based Biochemical Society is retracting 25 papers after finding “systematic manipulation of our peer-review and publication processes by multiple individuals,” according to a statement provided to Retraction Watch. The batch of retractions for Bioscience Reports is “the first time that we have issued this many retractions in one go for articles … Continue reading Exclusive: Biochemistry journal retracts 25 papers for ‘systematic manipulation’ of peer review