Expression of concern coming for paper some used to link COVID-19 vaccines to deaths

The journal BMJ Public Health is placing an expression of concern on a paper it said “gave rise to widespread misreporting and misunderstanding,” namely, “claims that it implies a direct causal link between COVID-19 vaccination and mortality.”  The article, “Excess mortality across countries in the Western World since the COVID-19 pandemic: ‘Our World in Data’ … Continue reading Expression of concern coming for paper some used to link COVID-19 vaccines to deaths

Five years on, convicted transplant surgeon earns expressions of concern from Lancet

In 2018, when The Lancet pulled two studies by once-celebrated transplant surgeon Paolo Macchiarini after he was found guilty of misconduct, we suggested in a post that the journal’s chapter of the long-running Macchiarini saga was finally over.  We were wrong. Last week, the journal issued expressions of concern about a pair of papers by … Continue reading Five years on, convicted transplant surgeon earns expressions of concern from Lancet

Concussion researcher Paul McCrory earns nine more retractions, nearly 40 expressions of concern 

A prominent sports medicine researcher who earlier this year had an editorial from his time as the top editor of the British Journal of Sports Medicine retracted for plagiarism has lost nine more articles for stealing and recycling text and misrepresenting a reference.  The British Journal of Sports Medicine has also placed expressions of concern … Continue reading Concussion researcher Paul McCrory earns nine more retractions, nearly 40 expressions of concern 

Didier Raoult papers earn expressions of concern as criminal investigation gets underway

A leading microbiology society has issued expressions of concern for four six papers from a group in France led by the controversial scientist Didier Raoult, whose lab is under investigation by the  University of Aix Marseille for “serious malfunctions.”  The move follows the release last month of a 157-page report by investigators related to France’s … Continue reading Didier Raoult papers earn expressions of concern as criminal investigation gets underway

Biotech’s ‘cell squeezing’ technology paper earns expression of concern

A 2018 study in PNAS that claimed to show a biotech company’s platform for creating immunotherapies was better than existing methods has earned an expression of concern over the reproducibility of some of its findings. When the article appeared, STAT called “Cell engineering with microfluidic squeezing preserves functionality of primary immune cells in vivo,” a … Continue reading Biotech’s ‘cell squeezing’ technology paper earns expression of concern

Abstract linking COVID-19 vaccines to heart trouble risk earns expression of concern

A leading heart journal has issued an expression of concern for a meeting abstract it published earlier this year by a cardiac surgeon who sells dietary supplements of questionable utility. The case is the second involving a recent meeting of the American Heart Association. The abstract, titled “Mrna COVID Vaccines Dramatically Increase Endothelial Inflammatory Markers … Continue reading Abstract linking COVID-19 vaccines to heart trouble risk earns expression of concern

Journal mulls expression of concern for Cassava Sciences paper

A journal is considering issuing an expression of concern for a 2005 paper by authors tied to a company that’s now under investigation for fraud, Retraction Watch has learned.  [See an update on this post (bottom).] The article, “Ultra-low-dose naloxone suppresses opioid tolerance, dependence and associated changes in mu opioid receptor–G protein coupling and Gβγ … Continue reading Journal mulls expression of concern for Cassava Sciences paper

Science Majorana paper earns an expression of concern

Just months after Nature retracted a paper on the “Majorana” particle because other researchers found issues in the work, Science has placed an expression of concern on a different paper that suggested “a relatively easy route to creating and controlling [Majorana zero modes] MZMs in hybrid materials.” If such particles exist, they could allow Microsoft … Continue reading Science Majorana paper earns an expression of concern

Ecologist who lost thesis awards earns expressions of concern after laptop stolen

Readers may roll their eyes at the various excuses authors use — including flooded labs and “my laptop was stolen” — when their data are unavailable for further scrutiny following questions. But here’s a case in which a stolen laptop is a real story. On April 5, Daniel Bolnick, the editor-in-chief of The American Naturalist, … Continue reading Ecologist who lost thesis awards earns expressions of concern after laptop stolen

“Stunned, very confused”: Two more journals push back against Impact Factor suppression

At least two more journals are fighting decisions by Clarivate — the company behind the Impact Factor — to suppress them from the 2019 list of journals assigned a metric that many rightly or wrongly consider career-making. In a letter to the editorial board of Body Image, an Elsevier journal that was one of 33 … Continue reading “Stunned, very confused”: Two more journals push back against Impact Factor suppression