Q: What should I do if a journal hasn't acted on a case of serious misconduct?

Detailed Question -

Hello.

I am aware of the story [case] of a serious misconduct (of data fabrication). I contacted the journal's editor months ago, explained the problem, and sent him the data and the proofs of the misconduct. It is clear that what the authors did was unethical, but the editor doesn't seem to be planning to take any action. One of the authors is a well-known expert in the field with many publications in reputable journals.

What should I do in order to have this fake paper retracted and protect scientists from getting wrong information?

Thank you.

1 Answer to this question
Answer:

You no doubt have the best intentions in mind – to protect other scientists from getting misinformation, as you have mentioned. And in all probability, you are accurate in your conviction of their misconduct. Your action has been well-informed too, of writing to the editor about the faulty paper. In all, you are acting with tremendous integrity, which is just what the conscientious scientist should do.

However, before suggesting any actions, you should understand (as you possibly do) that there may be repercussions for you if you decide to push the case further. You may have to face resistance from the journal (which already seems the case) and perhaps from your institution as well. So, we would urge you to weigh your actions and proceed judiciously. For instance, you may wish to discuss the matter with someone at your institution or in your close professional circle and someone you can trust. In matters of ethics, it always helps to get a second opinion.

Once you’ve weighed your options, here are some ways you can proceed.

  • As you’ve already written to the editor and received no response, you may wish to go higher up. If the journal is a big one, they will probably have an ethics or advisory board that you may contact. However, it may be that the editor has already discussed the matter with the board, and for the same reason you have suggested (that the scientist is quite well-known), they may have decided not to take any action.
  • You may decide to approach an industry body such as Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) or World Medical Association (WMA). This would depend on your field. Note though that to discuss your case, you may need to become a member by paying a fee. If you to wish to only reference similar earlier cases that have been under their purview, membership may not be needed and you can simply read those cases.
  • There are also many independent bodies these days working in the field of scientific integrity. They may also be more “accessible” as they are run by a smaller number of individuals. One is The Center for Scientific Integrity, which runs the blog Retraction Watch (as you talked about retraction). They may be able to provide appropriate guidance and perhaps even support.
  • You may also wish to share this story/information with a paper, magazine, or site publishing science news, or a scientific journalist, if you know one. This may also help transfer the onus/burden somewhat from your shoulders and also shield you from some of the potential repercussions. Additionally, such a paper or site may have more resources to adequately pursue the matter.

Hope that helps. For more insights and perspectives, you may refer to these interviews of other leading researchers who have pursued matters of research integrity – and how far they succeeded. In each, you may also come across additional avenues to help you with the case.

All the best for the next steps. And more power to you.

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