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Biomedical retractions due to misconduct in Europe: characterization and trends in the last 20 years

Author

Listed:
  • Fabián Freijedo-Farinas

    (University of Santiago de Compostela)

  • Alberto Ruano-Ravina

    (University of Santiago de Compostela
    Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública-CIBERESP)
    Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela-IDIS))

  • Mónica Pérez-Ríos

    (University of Santiago de Compostela
    Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública-CIBERESP)
    Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela-IDIS))

  • Joseph Ross

    (Yale School of Medicine
    Yale School of Public Health
    Yale-New Haven Health System)

  • Cristina Candal-Pedreira

    (University of Santiago de Compostela
    Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública-CIBERESP)
    Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela-IDIS))

Abstract

The aim was to describe biomedical retractions and analyse those retracted in 2000–2021 due to research misconduct among authors affiliated with European institutions. A cross-sectional study was conducted, using Retraction Watch database, Journal Citation Reports and PubMed as data sources. Biomedical original papers, reviews, case reports and letters with at least one author affiliated with an European institution retracted between 01/01/2000 and 30/06/2021 were included. We characterized rates over time and conducted an analysis on the 4 countries with the highest number of retractions: Germany, United Kingdom, Italy and Spain. 2069 publications were identified. Retraction rates increased from 10.7 to 44.8 per 100,000 publications between 2000 and 2020. Research misconduct accounted for most retractions (66.8%). The reasons for misconduct-related retractions shifted over time, ranging from problems of copyright and authorship in 2000 (2.5 per 100,000 publications) to duplication in 2020 (8.6 per 100,000 publications). In 2020, the main reason was fabrication and falsification in the United Kingdom (6.2 per 100,000 publications) and duplication in Spain (13.2 per 100,000 publications).Retractions of papers by authors affiliated with European institutions are increasing and are primarily due to research misconduct. The type of misconduct has changed over time and differ between European countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Fabián Freijedo-Farinas & Alberto Ruano-Ravina & Mónica Pérez-Ríos & Joseph Ross & Cristina Candal-Pedreira, 2024. "Biomedical retractions due to misconduct in Europe: characterization and trends in the last 20 years," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 129(5), pages 2867-2882, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:129:y:2024:i:5:d:10.1007_s11192-024-04992-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-024-04992-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gonzalo Marco-Cuenca & José Antonio Salvador-Oliván & Rosario Arquero-Avilés, 2021. "Fraud in scientific publications in the European Union. An analysis through their retractions," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(6), pages 5143-5164, June.
    2. Daniele Fanelli & Rodrigo Costas & Vincent Larivière, 2015. "Misconduct Policies, Academic Culture and Career Stage, Not Gender or Pressures to Publish, Affect Scientific Integrity," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(6), pages 1-18, June.
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    5. Gowri Gopalakrishna & Gerben ter Riet & Gerko Vink & Ineke Stoop & Jelte M Wicherts & Lex M Bouter, 2022. "Prevalence of questionable research practices, research misconduct and their potential explanatory factors: A survey among academic researchers in The Netherlands," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(2), pages 1-16, February.
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    8. Qin Zhang & Juneman Abraham & Hui-Zhen Fu, 2020. "Collaboration and its influence on retraction based on retracted publications during 1978–2017," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 125(1), pages 213-232, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Fang Lei & Liang Du & Min Dong & Xuemei Liu, 2024. "Global retractions due to randomly generated content: Characterization and trends," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 129(12), pages 7943-7958, December.
    2. Andrey Lovakov & Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva, 2025. "Scientometric indicators in research evaluation and research misconduct: analysis of the Russian university excellence initiative," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 130(3), pages 1813-1829, March.

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