JOURNAL UPHOLDS INTEGRITY: COPE GUIDANCE LEADS TO RESOLUTION IN DUPLICATE PUBLICATION CASE
In a recent case brought to the attention of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), a journal faced a clear instance of potential duplicate publication. The submitted article mirrored a piece published eight years earlier in a surgical journal, presenting identical data on haemodynamics and intestinal blood flow in pigs, albeit with altered graphical presentation and additional authors.
The authors argued that the new article was justified due to minor elements in the discussion. However, COPE advised the editor to reject the paper, emphasizing that identical data warranted such action. The editor was encouraged to warn the authors against such behavior and consider involving their institution, particularly in relation to the new authors and authorship criteria.
The editor followed COPE's guidance, rejecting the article and informing the dean of the authors' institution about the concerns, triggering an investigation. The Dean took the matter seriously, pledging to follow up on the issue.
In a surprising twist, the editor received a letter from one of the original authors expressing fury towards her colleagues. This author was unaware of the attempted double publication by some of the original authors. With this revelation, the journal considers the case closed, having upheld the principles of integrity and ethical publishing in the face of duplicate publication.
