Why does research integrity affect us all?

Respecting the principles of research integrity seems self-evident to everyone. However, the concrete requirements and areas of research integrity are much broader than many people think. Figure 1 non-restrictively lists those areas, in line with the four major principles of the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity¹: reliability, honesty, respect, and accountability. While all aspects of compliance with research integrity concern all of us, some are particularly relevant for healthcare professionals and researchers, who generate scientific and medical data, to reviewers and editors who examine manuscripts, and to publishers.

Figure 1.

Different aspects of research integrity.

Noticeably, the medical literature is polluted by predatory journals and articles produced by paper mills, which spread poor or false research results. They are not readily detectable,² and the problem is escalating alarmingly.³ Authors of manuscripts submitted to respectable journals must be particularly attentive not to use or cite biased data or results published in those journals or articles.⁴ Since it is difficult for reviewers, editors, and publishers, if at all possible to be sure that recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors have been followed by authors, they must, at least initially, rely on their honesty. However, they should strive to detect all signs of deception in the manuscript they assess and be prepared to retract those that are unreliable. Additionally, Research Integrity Officers are constantly confronted with claims from authors—and from forgotten potential authors—regarding the authenticity of authorship. Honesty and reliability are also central to the acquisition and analysis of data and to the presentation and interpretation of research results. However, data torturing and spin in reporting remain too often present in the medical literature.⁵ Also, the quality of documentation of clinical outcomes in clinical trials and of observational study databases should be a major concern for everyone involved, as the overall reliability of researches depends on such quality.

The elements discussed above and those shown in Figure 1 do not necessarily concern fraud or falsification. But all contributors to science, many of whom are not authors of articles, should constantly be mindful of adhering to the principles of scientific integrity in all its dimensions.

Funding

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