Some considerations on integrity in scientific research

Some aspects of research integrity are presented and discussed, primarily through reference to institutional documents, particularly those published by the European Union. A scrupulous approach to scientific publications is emphasized as being crucial to integrity in research, while clinical trials are indicated as an area in which especially strict rules should be observed. The article comprises: an introduction, in which "integrity in research" is defined; some examples of violations of research integrity; an analysis of possible ways to implement general rules in particular contexts; a call for scrupulousness in scientific publications as a crucial factor in research integrity; a brief reference to ethics in clinical trials, where the observation of particularly severe rules is imperative.