An email was received from a reader indicating a possible duplicate publication of an article that appeared in the journal in 2004, and a similar publication that appeared in another journal in 2003. The Editor immediately wrote to the author, and to the editor of the other journal, expressing his concerns. The author responded five days later saying that he did not believe that the papers were duplicates. The articles were sent to the COPE Chair (HM), who felt that the subsequent article, published in 2004, falls within the definition of duplicate publication, as the database, methods, and conclusion were the same in both papers. Moreover the authors did not refer to their previous paper when submitting the article.
What should the Editor do now?
It was suggested that the editor might like to first consult with members of the editorial board before making any final decision, but it was felt that ultimately he had no other choice than to retract the paper that appeared in his journal in 2004. It was also suggested that he should contact the editor of the other journal, as there may be copyright issues to resolve, and to also contact author’s institution informing them of the decision.