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March 9, 1990, Vol 263, No. 10 >
ARTICLE | March 9, 1990

The Continued Use of Retracted, Invalid Scientific Literature FREE

Mark P. Pfeifer, MD; Gwendolyn L. Snodgrass, MS
[+] Author Affiliations

Presented in part at the Council of Biology Editors Annual Meeting, Rochester, Minn, May 21,1989.

Reprint requests to the Department of Medicine, University of Louisville, Ambulatory Care Bldg, Louisville, KY 40292 (Dr Pfeifer).


JAMA. 1990;263(10):1420-1423. doi:10.1001/jama.1990.03440100140020
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References

Little is known about the ultimate scientific fate of retracted, invalid literature. We identified 82 completely retracted articles by electronic and manual methods and measured their subsequent use in the scientific literature by performing citation analysis. After retraction, these studies were cited, for support of scientific concepts, 733 times. Comparison with a control group revealed that retraction reduces subsequent citation by approximately 35%. There was no evidence that small, obscure journals, non-US journals, or non-US authors were disproportionately responsible for these citations. Although, after retraction, US authors accounted for a smaller percentage of citations, they continued to be the single greatest source. Several possible reasons why invalid information continues to be used were identified. These included a dearth of available information on retracted works; inconsistency in retraction format, terminology, and indexing; and an apparent lack of sufficient attention to manuscripts by some authors and editors.

(JAMA. 1990;263:1420-1423)

REFERENCES

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Freedman DX, ed.  Request for retraction . Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1988;;45:685-686.
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Petersdorf RG.  A matter of integrity . Academic Med. 1989;;64:119-123.
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The Serials Directory: An International Reference Book . 3rd ed. Birmingham, Ala: Ebsco; 1988;-1989.
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Garfield E, ed. SCI Journal Citation Reports . Philadelphia, Pa: Institute for Scientific Information; 1987;:5a-9a, 81-120,1501-2399.
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Schooler NR, ed.  Notification to readers . Psychopharmacol Bull. 1987;;23:587-588.
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Siegelman SS, ed.  Notice to the readership . Radiology. 1986;;158:279.
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Felig P.  Data on insulin binding in growth hormone deficiency are questionable . N Engl J Med. 1980;;303:1120.
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Gullis RJ.  Letter to the editor . Nature. 1977;;265:764.
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Lindberg DA.  Retraction of research findings . Science. 1987;;235:1308.
15 +
Gullis RJ, Rowe CE.  Pharmacological studies on the stimulation of the phospholipase A2-acylation system of synaptic membranes of brain, by neurotransmitters and other agonists . J Neurochem. 1976;;26:1217-1230.
16 +
Webb JG, Saelens DA, Halushka PV.  Biosynthesis of prostaglandin E by rat superior cervical ganglia . J Neurochem. 1978;;31:13-19.
17 +
Culliton BJ.  Coping with fraud: the Darsee case . Science. 1983;;220:31-35.
18 +
 International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Retraction of research findings . Ann Intern Med. 1988;;108:304.
19 +
Tseng SCG, Maumenee AE, Stark WJ, et al.  Topical retinoid treatment for various dry-eye disorders . Ophthalmology. 1985;;92:717-727.
20 +
Maumenee AE, Stark WJ, Maumenee IH, Jensen AD, Green WR.  Correction . Ophthalmology . 1989;;96:730.

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Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal

1 +
Stossel TP.  Volume: papers and academic promotion . Ann Intern Med. 1987;;106:146-149.
2 +
Knox RA.  Deeper problems for Darsee: Emory probe . JAMA. 1983;;249:2867-2876.
3 +
Engler RL, Covell JW, Friedman PJ, Kitcher PS, Peters RM.  Misrepresentation and responsibility in medical research . N Engl J Med. 1987;; 317: 1381-1389.
4 +
Freedman DX, ed.  Request for retraction . Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1988;;45:685-686.
5 +
Holden C.  NIMH review of fraud charge moves slowly . Science. 1986;;234:1488-1489.
6 +
Broad WJ.  Coping with fraud . Science . 1982;; 215:479.
7 +
Petersdorf RG.  A matter of integrity . Academic Med. 1989;;64:119-123.
8 +
The Serials Directory: An International Reference Book . 3rd ed. Birmingham, Ala: Ebsco; 1988;-1989.
9 +
Garfield E, ed. SCI Journal Citation Reports . Philadelphia, Pa: Institute for Scientific Information; 1987;:5a-9a, 81-120,1501-2399.
10 +
Schooler NR, ed.  Notification to readers . Psychopharmacol Bull. 1987;;23:587-588.
11 +
Siegelman SS, ed.  Notice to the readership . Radiology. 1986;;158:279.
12 +
Felig P.  Data on insulin binding in growth hormone deficiency are questionable . N Engl J Med. 1980;;303:1120.
13 +
Gullis RJ.  Letter to the editor . Nature. 1977;;265:764.
14 +
Lindberg DA.  Retraction of research findings . Science. 1987;;235:1308.
15 +
Gullis RJ, Rowe CE.  Pharmacological studies on the stimulation of the phospholipase A2-acylation system of synaptic membranes of brain, by neurotransmitters and other agonists . J Neurochem. 1976;;26:1217-1230.
16 +
Webb JG, Saelens DA, Halushka PV.  Biosynthesis of prostaglandin E by rat superior cervical ganglia . J Neurochem. 1978;;31:13-19.
17 +
Culliton BJ.  Coping with fraud: the Darsee case . Science. 1983;;220:31-35.
18 +
 International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Retraction of research findings . Ann Intern Med. 1988;;108:304.
19 +
Tseng SCG, Maumenee AE, Stark WJ, et al.  Topical retinoid treatment for various dry-eye disorders . Ophthalmology. 1985;;92:717-727.
20 +
Maumenee AE, Stark WJ, Maumenee IH, Jensen AD, Green WR.  Correction . Ophthalmology . 1989;;96:730.

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