IOP Publishing (IOPP) has developed a machine‑learning tool designed to detect duplicate peer review reports, addressing concerns about reviewer fraud and safeguarding research integrity in scholarly publishing.
Duplicate peer reviews occur when the same report is submitted for multiple manuscripts, undermining the reliability of peer review. In some cases, “review mills” have generated fake reviews to artificially boost citations. Identifying such patterns has historically been difficult, limiting publishers’ ability to intervene. The Duplicate Review Checker (DRC) now enables editorial teams to flag duplicate activity in real time, allowing earlier corrective action.
Since its pilot in 2024, the tool has processed approximately half a million reviewer reports dating back to 2020. It identified nearly 2,500 cases in which more than 60% of the content closely matched other reviews. These included reports reused across different manuscripts or submitted under multiple reviewer identities. The tool is now integrated into IOPP’s publication workflow and applied across proprietary and partner journals, with all reviewer data kept confidential.
Duplicate reports flagged by the tool are referred to IOPP’s Research Integrity team for investigation. In such cases, the duplicate report is discarded and new reviewers are appointed to ensure independent and unbiased manuscript assessment.
IOPP has stated that it will share insights into the tool’s development with other publishers to encourage sector‑wide adoption of similar solutions. Expanding detection capabilities across the industry is seen as a way to disrupt review‑mill practices and strengthen peer review integrity. This initiative aligns with IOPP’s participation in the Purpose‑Led Publishing coalition, which emphasizes publishing content that contributes meaningfully to scientific knowledge.
Kim Eggleton, Head of Peer Review and Research Integrity at IOPP, explained that the tool strengthens efforts to uphold peer review standards and counter unethical practices. She noted that it reflects IOPP’s commitment to addressing reviewer fraud directly and maintaining transparency and trust in publishing.
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