Beyond Publications: Why Dermatology Needs Research-on-Research (Meta-research)

The rise of articles published in biomedical and life sciences is staggering. The sheer numbers of biomedical publication make it impossible for a practising dermatologist to keep up with the literature and has ramifications for the entire medical publishing industry. Quantity does not equate to quality as evidenced by the rising number of retractions in dermatology. Of particular concern is the number of publications that are misleading or just wrong, yet evade scrutiny, and persist in the literature shaping clinical practice. Research-on-research (also known as meta-research or RoR) scrutinises these studies from a bird's-eye view.