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The Top Retractions of 2022
From typo-laden code in psychedelics research to paper mills and plagiarism, we look back on some of the most notable retractions in scientific publishing this year.
The Top Retractions of 2022
The Top Retractions of 2022

From typo-laden code in psychedelics research to paper mills and plagiarism, we look back on some of the most notable retractions in scientific publishing this year.

From typo-laden code in psychedelics research to paper mills and plagiarism, we look back on some of the most notable retractions in scientific publishing this year.

retraction watch

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Exosome Scientist Douglas Taylor Stole and Mislabeled Images: Report
Katherine Irving | Nov 23, 2022 | 2 min read
Taylor, formerly of the University of Louisville, is known for his discovery of and research on tumor-secreted exosomes.  
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Nobel Prize Winner Faces Investigation into Paper Integrity
Katherine Irving | Oct 21, 2022 | 2 min read
Seventeen studies coauthored by Gregg Semenza have been retracted, corrected, or raised for concern, and 15 more are currently under investigation.
Updated July 27
Magnifying glass in front of a stack of files of papers
PLOS ONE Pulls Five Papers Tied to Alzheimer’s Drug Controversy
Jef Akst | Mar 31, 2022 | 2 min read
The retracted studies were coauthored by a scientist who worked on an Alzheimer’s therapy in development by Cassava Sciences, a company reportedly under investigation for providing falsified data to the FDA.
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The Top Retractions of 2021
Retraction Watch | Dec 21, 2021 | 6 min read
From Star Trek to ivermectin, we look back on some of the most notable about-faces in publishing this year.
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The Top Retractions of 2020
Retraction Watch | Dec 15, 2020 | 5 min read
The Retraction Watch team takes a look at the most important publishing mistakes this year.
Paper Used in Creationist Teaching Retracted After 30 Years
Ashley Yeager | Nov 11, 2019 | 2 min read
Criticism of the paper first surfaced in 1994, and its author was accused of scientific misconduct.
retraction genetics studies articles papers medical rate plagiarism duplication fabrication
Genetics Articles Retracted at Higher Rate than Other Disciplines
Chia-Yi Hou | Jul 26, 2019 | 2 min read
A study estimates that 0.15 percent of genetics articles are retracted, most commonly for duplication and plagiarism.
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Nature and Science Retractions Connected to Research Misconduct
Chia-Yi Hou | Apr 12, 2019 | 2 min read
The University of Cambridge and the University of Bristol conducted investigations of the research.
Top Retractions of 2018
Retraction Watch | Dec 26, 2018 | 4 min read
From a self-sampling scientist to the downfall of a leading stem cell scientist, here’s our naughty list.
Retraction Watch Launches Its Database of Papers
Ashley P. Taylor | Oct 26, 2018 | 2 min read
It includes more than 18,000 papers and conference materials that have been retracted since the 1970s.

Researcher Fazlul Sarkar Has 12 More Papers Retracted
Sukanya Charuchandra | Sep 17, 2018 | 1 min read
The ex-Wayne State University scientist has racked up 33 retractions to date. 
AACR Apologizes for Delays in Retracting Papers
Catherine Offord | Sep 5, 2018 | 1 min read
Nine of the most recent retractions from AACR journals are for papers coauthored by embattled cancer researcher Bharat Aggarwal.
Dartmouth Professor Plagiarized His Colleague, University Says
Jef Akst | Aug 20, 2018 | 2 min read
H. Gilbert Welch, a health policy expert who has advocated against superfluous cancer screening, published another Dartmouth researcher’s work, according to the university administration.
Study: 35,000 Papers May Have Retraction-Worthy Image Duplication
Catherine Offord | Jun 29, 2018 | 2 min read
The authors of a preprint recommend that journals implement better image screening procedures before publishing articles.
Another Retraction for Discredited Researcher
Jim Daley | May 25, 2018 | 2 min read
Robert Ryan was forced to resign from the University of Dundee in 2016 following an investigation of misconduct.
OSU Professor Falsified Data on Eight Papers, Resigns
Catherine Offord | Apr 2, 2018 | 2 min read
Ching-Shih Chen’s research involved anticancer therapeutics that were being tested in clinical trials.
Italian Scientist’s Retraction Count Hits 15
Diana Kwon | Mar 5, 2018 | 2 min read
Alfredo Fusco, a once prominent cancer researcher, has been under investigation for alleged research misconduct since 2012.
Top 10 Retractions of 2017
Retraction Watch | Dec 18, 2017 | 4 min read
Making the list: a journal breaks a retraction record, Nobel laureates Do the Right Thing, and Seinfeld characters write a paper 
Mass Resignation from Scientific Reports’s Editorial Board
Catherine Offord | Nov 6, 2017 | 2 min read
Nineteen researchers have stepped down after the journal decided not to retract a paper that they say plagiarized the work of a Johns Hopkins biomedical scientist.
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