Should scientific papers with no clear factual errors or associated research misconduct be editorially retracted based solely on irreproducibility?

There have been a number of high-profile cases of retraction involving papers reporting important breakthroughs subsequently found to be irreproducible. In cases such as that of the ‘Arsenic-life’ bacteria, the papers have no identified major factual errors or associated scientific misconduct, and it is debatable whether editorial retraction is justified. I contend that retractions, based solely on irreproducibility, would be appropriate in principle. This is because interpretive errors have occurred at the very least, and these errors owe largely to inadequate or erroneous data/findings generated by the authors themselves. The literature should thus be corrected to maintain validity and accuracy.

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Publication Details

Journal
European Science Editing
Published
2026-08-20
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3897/ese.2026.e190375
Primary Topic
Academic integrity and plagiarism
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Should scientific papers with no clear factual errors or associated research misconduct be editorially retracted based solely on irreproducibility?

Bor Luen Tang
European Science Editing
Academic integrity and plagiarism
article

Should scientific papers with no clear factual errors or associated research misconduct be editorially retracted based solely on irreproducibility?

Bor Luen Tang
article en

Abstract

There have been a number of high-profile cases of retraction involving papers reporting important breakthroughs subsequently found to be irreproducible. In cases such as that of the ‘Arsenic-life’ bacteria, the papers have no identified major factual errors or associated scientific misconduct, and it is debatable whether editorial retraction is justified. I contend that retractions, based solely on irreproducibility, would be appropriate in principle. This is because interpretive errors have occurred at the very least, and these errors owe largely to inadequate or erroneous data/findings generated by the authors themselves. The literature should thus be corrected to maintain validity and accuracy.

European Science EditingVol. 52
National University of Singapore (SG)
Openalex Percentile: Top 7%
Academic integrity and plagiarism
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