Search Results for: medical

How well do databases and journals indicate retractions? Hint: Inconsistently.

Retraction Watch readers may recall the work of Elizabeth Suelzer, a librarian at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Two years ago, she and colleagues published a study on why the infamous — and fraudulent — 1998 paper by Andrew Wakefield alleging a link between vaccine and autism had been cited more than 1,000 … Continue reading How well do databases and journals indicate retractions? Hint: Inconsistently.

A scientist critic was sued, and won — but did not emerge unscathed. This is his story.

Retraction Watch readers may be familiar with the name David Sanders. Sanders, a biologist at Purdue University, has become a scientific sleuth, ferreting out problems in numerous papers. In one of those cases, that of Ohio State University professor Carlo Croce, Sanders ended up being sued — before an article in which he was quoted … Continue reading A scientist critic was sued, and won — but did not emerge unscathed. This is his story.

Weekend reads: ‘The obesity wars and the education of a researcher’; zombie research; hijacked journals

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: Pulp fiction: Japanese university revokes two dentistry PhDs in case … Continue reading Weekend reads: ‘The obesity wars and the education of a researcher’; zombie research; hijacked journals

‘We apologize again for the inadvertent mistakes during the assembly of data due to our carelessness’

Last December, Elisabeth Bik notified journals about 45 articles by a researcher in China which struck her as suspicious. Within weeks, one of those journals — DNA and Cell Biology — had retracted the paper she’d flagged. That reassuringly brisk response appears to have been an anomaly in the case of Hua Tang, of Tianjin … Continue reading ‘We apologize again for the inadvertent mistakes during the assembly of data due to our carelessness’

Most of problematic articles flagged in Japanese university’s investigation remain unflagged nearly a year later

Ten months after a misconduct investigation into the work of a researcher in Japan four of his papers found to have serious issues have yet to be retracted. According to an August 2020 report from National University Corporation Osaka University and National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Hospital about its investigation of  Takashi Nojiri:

Weekend reads: Biotech CEO on leave after allegations on PubPeer; a researcher disavows his own paper; plagiarism here, there, and everywhere

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: ‘A costly mistake’ prompts retraction of paper on hair loss … Continue reading Weekend reads: Biotech CEO on leave after allegations on PubPeer; a researcher disavows his own paper; plagiarism here, there, and everywhere

Elsevier glitch prompts temporary removal of critique of review on race and heart disease

A timing glitch prompted the temporary removal of a letter to the editor calling out a previously published study for “perpetuating historical harms” through its framing of race and ethnicity.  The letter, “Race is not a risk factor: Reframing discourse on racial health inequities in CVD prevention,” appeared online in April in the American Journal … Continue reading Elsevier glitch prompts temporary removal of critique of review on race and heart disease

Paper by former NIH researcher alleging ‘Ponzi schemes’ by government, pharma retracted

Mahin Khatami, a former researcher with the U.S. National Institutes of Health who has argued in print that cancer results from ‘dark energy’ and that the government and the pharmaceutical industry are collaborating in ‘scientific/medical Ponzi schemes’ to keep people sick, has lost a paper to retraction.   As we reported last fall, Robert Speth, a pharmacy … Continue reading Paper by former NIH researcher alleging ‘Ponzi schemes’ by government, pharma retracted

‘A costly mistake’ prompts retraction of paper on hair loss

A “costly mistake” has led to the retraction of a paper by a team of dermatology researchers in West Virginia who failed to obtain permission to use the data in their study for the specific purpose for which it was used.  The article, “Association Between Alopecia Areata and Natural Hair Color Among White Individuals,” which … Continue reading ‘A costly mistake’ prompts retraction of paper on hair loss

Abstracts flagged because conferences — including one in Wuhan in late 2019 — may not have happened

A journal has issued an expression of concern after learning that it may have published abstracts from meetings that appear not to have taken place.  As many journals do, Basic & Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, a Wiley title, occasionally publishes meeting supplements. But according to the journal, it recently learned from several authors that a … Continue reading Abstracts flagged because conferences — including one in Wuhan in late 2019 — may not have happened