Description and analysis of the characteristics of retracted articles addressing public health emergencies: A study investigating COVID-19 articles

Abstract

The present study analyzed the main characteristics of retracted articles addressing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) published in medical journals in China and abroad. The results are anticipated to provide a reference for the publication and dissemination of articles addressing public health emergencies in the future. Information regarding the retraction of COVID-19 articles was obtained from the Retraction Watch website for the period between January 1, 2020, and October 31, 2023. The main characteristics of the withdrawn COVID-19 articles were analyzed according to the distribution of journals, authors, publication period, and the reasons for retraction. Among the 235 COVID-19 articles withdrawn, the main article types were original research and reviews, the main publishers were journals without impact factors and/or preprint platforms, and the authors' countries were mostly China and the United States. The publication period was mainly in 2020 and 2021, and the number of publications is gradually decreasing. The retraction delay was 0–741 days, with a mean delay of 5.9 months. In addition to mistakes from journals/publishers, most of the top reasons for retraction included academic misconduct, especially regarding data and results. The main characteristics of retracted COVID-19 articles included publication on preprint platforms and journals with an impact factor < 5. Furthermore, more retractions were due to journal/publisher errors and academic misconduct. During epidemic situations, such as COVID-19, medical journals should not only improve publishing efficiency, but also strive to strictly control academic quality.