Analysis of Retracted Papers in Foreign Comprehensive Medical Journals

This study examined 86 retracted articles from the top 15 general medical journals (ranked by 2023 journal impact factor) listed in the Retraction Watch database, spanning from the year 2000 onward. The authors analyze the characteristics of these retractions, including retraction latency, authorship, affiliated institutions, country and discipline distribution, and reasons for retraction. The overall number of retracted papers has increased, with relatively long retraction intervals. The UK and the US were the main countries in terms of retraction volume, and many retracted papers were associated with prestigious institutions. Pharmacology, biostatistics/epidemiology, and cardiovascular science were the main subcategories of disciplines involved in retractions. Academic misconduct accounted for nearly one-third of all retraction causes. Therefore, we suggest strengthening punitive measures against academic misconduct, building a multidimensional deterrence system, enhancing supervision of the entire process of paper review, deepening the application of retraction-related bibliometric analysis, and reinforcing scientific integrity education, constructing a scientific integrity publicity system.