- Case
A paper describing a case of possible medical negligence
…this was negligence, and the question for the journal is whether any action should be taken. COPE has made it clear that editors have a duty to act on information about research misconduct. Do editors also have an obligation to act when papers describe clinical misconduct?… - Case
The unacceptable use of a placebo
…taken off the effective treatment; or thirdly, that there had been insufficient randomisation? _ COPE has no agenda to say whether a trial should or shouldn’t have been done and that insufficient randomisation would probably not constitute the need to report to the author’s institution either.… - Case
Paper submitted by a PR company without the knowledge of the authors
A case for the record, and one that could be used when reviewing the COPE guidelines.… - Case
The results that were too good to believe
COPE agreed that the editor had acted correctly and observed that this was a common problem.… - Case
Publication bias arising from an editor’s activities
_ This is a complaint about an editor and is not in COPE’s remit. It is the responsibility of the editor in chief to respond, and if necessary, to take the matter up with the journal’s ombudsman. _ As COPE was contacted, the chairman will write to the accuser, say the matter was discussed, and that the editor in chief will refer the matter to the ombudsman as necessary.… - Case
Who ensures the integrity of the editor?
The editor has acted as a whistleblower and has been fired as a result. _ This raises several questions about the integrity of scientific publications. _ COPE is not in the business of disciplining editors and authors, but perhaps it could devise a code of behaviour, which editors could sign up to, and be formally disciplined by COPE if they breach it. _ COPE feels that this case is worth… - Case
Compromise of patient confidentiality?
…the other two cases were discussed. If the editor publishes this paper, the identity of the other two cases might be revealed if he respects the wishes of the parents. What does COPE advise?… - Case
Dual publication may be necessary in some situations
…published from the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. The authors had taken the same cohort but looked at it from two entirely different angles with two entirely different readerships in mind. What are COPE’s views on this?… - Case
A further case of redundant publication
…of the first paper. The editor wrote to the authors rejecting the paper for the above reasons and informing them that he had reported the matter to COPE. What more, if anything, should he do?… - Case
Should editors get involved in authorship disputes?
…not up to the editor to determine who is a contributor and who is an author; it is up to the Finnish employees to decide _ It is not for COPE to dictate on this issue, although COPE inevitably gets drawn into author disputes.… - Case
The discontented and abandoned contributor
…had already been rejected, these questions didn’t arise. But the editor asked the author of the letter, who had written in confidence, if he might copy his reply to the authors of the rejected study. Does COPE think that the editor has done the right thing, and what more might be done?… - Case
The anonymous critic
_ The immediate reaction is to dismiss them if they are anonymous but they might be serious. _ Editor advised to write to author and his head of department to ask if they have concerns, citing a similar experience that had been submitted to COPE before where the anonymous complaint was found to be justified.… - Case
Redundant publication and change of authors
Arguments about the degree of overlap might never be resolved. The editor should seek independent assessment of the degree of overlap. Real key here is the degree of disclosure/transparency about the existence of the earlier paper. If the authors were explicit about this,then there is no problem. COPE would like to hear the editor’s assessment of the degree of transparency.… - Case
Publication of misleading information and publication
This is not within COPE’s remit as the case was not submitted by an editor. Suggest that the complainant submit a letter to the editor of the journal concerned. A systematic review of published studies would expose the flaws.… - Case
Ethical status of authors’ actions?
…represented a decision to extend the availability of urine testing for benzodiazepines to three practices that were under considerable pressure at the time.They argued that they did not see this as a research project, but as a means of coping with a difficult situation by extending to these practices good practice and facilities already available to the community drugs team. Cost considerations, they said,… - Case
What happens when there is no local ethics committee?
A paper from Taiwan was reviewed and accepted for publication. However, one of the reviewers raised the question of ethics committee approval. When the editors checked with the authors, they responded that there is no ethics committee at their university and they were therefore not able to seek ethical approval. What is COPE’s view on this? The study was fairly straightforward involving… - Case
A lost author and a new hypothesis
The editor was advised to inform the grant awarding body of this case and tell them that he had referred the matter to COPE. The editor should also urge the grant awarding body to act with some urgency and, that given the circumstances, the initial investigation cannot be referred to the unit director. The editor should await responses from all collaborators and authors and then show them to… - Case
Overseas editor dismissed from university for fraud
The overseas editor hired the staff who were subsequently criticised. The publishers are awaiting the results of an appeal by the overseas editor, and COPE feels that the editor should stand down or be suspended, pending appeal. If the overseas editor refuses to do this,the other editors should tender their resignations. The publishers must face up to their responsibilities.… - Case
Redundant publication
The editors have informed the authors that they have been blacklisted for two years. One of the authors who is head of department wishes to appeal and the editor has directed him to apply to COPE. The editor of the second journal blacklisted the authors permanently.…