Weekend reads: The effects of coronavirus on the literature; a sting involving Big Bird; a made-up name appears in a medical journal

Before we present this week’s Weekend Reads, a question: Do you enjoy our weekly roundup? If so, we could really use your help. Would you consider a tax-deductible donation to support Weekend Reads, and our daily work? Thanks in advance. Sending thoughts to our readers and wishing them the best in this uncertain time. The week … Continue reading Weekend reads: The effects of coronavirus on the literature; a sting involving Big Bird; a made-up name appears in a medical journal

Weekend reads: How to be a statistical detective; a $5.5 million settlement over hidden grants; 15 studies that challenged medical dogma

Before we present this week’s Weekend Reads — the last of 2019! — a question: Do you enjoy our weekly roundup? If so, we could really use your help. Would you consider a tax-deductible donation to support Weekend Reads, and our daily work? Thanks in advance. The week at Retraction Watch featured: The story of what happened … Continue reading Weekend reads: How to be a statistical detective; a $5.5 million settlement over hidden grants; 15 studies that challenged medical dogma

Weekend reads: Questions swirl over kidney transplant papers from China; author apologizes for paper of whether women performed medical procedures as well as men; reports detail widespread fraud in UK lab

Before we present this week’s Weekend Reads, a question: Do you enjoy our weekly roundup? If so, we could really use your help. Would you consider a tax-deductible donation to support Weekend Reads, and our daily work? Thanks in advance. Retraction Watch came back online on Wednesday of this week, after a 10-day outage for technical … Continue reading Weekend reads: Questions swirl over kidney transplant papers from China; author apologizes for paper of whether women performed medical procedures as well as men; reports detail widespread fraud in UK lab

Catholic medical journal pulls paper on conversion therapy over statistical problems

The journal for a religious medical group is retracting a paper that supported the discredited practice of conversion therapy for homosexuals over concerns about the statistical analyses — or lack thereof — in the research. The paper, “Effects of therapy on religious men who have unwanted same-sex attraction,” was published last year in The Linacre … Continue reading Catholic medical journal pulls paper on conversion therapy over statistical problems

Researcher banned from federal Canadian funding after misconduct loses medical license

A once-prominent bone researcher whose career crumbled after allegations of misconduct has lost her medical license in Canada.   The researcher, Abida Sophina “Sophie” Jamal, formerly of the University of Toronto, had been considered a rising star in the international community of osteoporosis researchers, winning awards and collaborating with some of the leading senior investigators … Continue reading Researcher banned from federal Canadian funding after misconduct loses medical license

Canadian Medical Association leaves international group after president plagiarizes past president’s speech

The address was supposed to be a triumphant inaugural speech. On Friday, Leonid Eidelman, the incoming president of the World Medical Association (WMA), made up of representatives from national medical associations, stood up in front of the group’s members in Reykjavik, Iceland, and told them it was a great honor to become their leader. The … Continue reading Canadian Medical Association leaves international group after president plagiarizes past president’s speech

A medical school put a scientist found guilty of misconduct in charge of an NIH grant

After a scientist was found guilty of misconduct at one university, a new institution asked to take over his grant and put him in charge of it. But the new institution — the Morehouse School of Medicine, in Atlanta, Georgia — denies they ever employed him.

Weekend reads: Medical device maker demands a retraction; an admission from a predatory publisher; a journal digs in and won’t retract

Before we present this week’s Weekend Reads, a question: Do you enjoy our weekly roundup? If so, we could really use your help. Would you consider a tax-deductible donation to support Weekend Reads, and our daily work? Thanks in advance. The week at Retraction Watch featured the story of two scientific sleuths who were right — … Continue reading Weekend reads: Medical device maker demands a retraction; an admission from a predatory publisher; a journal digs in and won’t retract

Medical ethicist: “I now understand that I should not have been re-using material”

A researcher in medical ethics has retracted two papers within the last two years after admitting to reusing material from previous publications. Ezio Di Nucci, based at the University of Copenhagen, claims he “had misunderstood the relevant practices.” The first retraction, issued in 2017 by the Journal of Value Inquiry, notes the paper “constituted the … Continue reading Medical ethicist: “I now understand that I should not have been re-using material”

Most editors of top medical journals receive industry payments: report

When examining the roles of conflicts of interest in academic publishing, most research focuses on transparency around the payments authors receive. But what about journal editors? According to a new Peer J preprint, two-thirds of editors at prominent journals received some type of industry payment over the last few years – which, at many journals, … Continue reading Most editors of top medical journals receive industry payments: report