International journal Tumor Biology, published by Springer Nature, recently announced the retraction of 107 research papers from China, many of them by clinical doctors. The articles, published between 2012 and 2016, were reportedly submitted with the names of real researchers, but fabricated email addresses.
The online notice about the retraction lists all 107 articles and 524 authors, almost all of whom are clinical cancer specialists from China. The hospitals named are also top public institutions. An investigation and follow up with the real reviewers revealed to Springer Nature that the latter did not do the peer review. All authors involved in the incident hail from Chinese organisations, with a majority of the articles involving research in the field of cancer.
According to a Beijing cancer specialist, although there is no excuse for compromising scientific credibility, the incident reveals a widespread dilemma facing Chinese physicians who struggle to strike a balance between overloaded daily work schedules and academic requirements, primarily publishing papers to secure professional development and promotion.
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