Analysis of Retracted Publications on Methotrexate

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology and Therapeutics
• Scientific Integrity
• Bibliometrics

Background:

• Methotrexate (MTX) is a widely used antifolate agent across rheumatology, oncology, and dermatology.
• Scientific retractions are vital for correcting errors, ethical violations, and data falsification in published research.
• This study investigates retracted publications involving methotrexate (MTX) to identify trends, causes, and impacts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively analyze retracted publications related to Methotrexate (MTX).
• To detect trends, identify reasons for retraction, and assess potential ramifications of retracted MTX research.
• To inform strategies for enhancing scientific integrity in MTX research.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive cross-sectional study design was employed.
• PubMed was searched for retracted MTX publications without date restrictions.
• Bibliometric data, including citation metrics and Altmetric Attention Scores (AAS), were collected and analyzed.

Main Results:

• Thirty-six MTX-related papers were identified as retracted.
• Primary reasons for retraction included data concerns (n=15), fraud (n=11), and peer review manipulation (n=10).
• China (n=14) had the highest number of retractions, followed by the USA (n=6) and Egypt (n=3).

Conclusions:

• Data integrity issues, fraud, and peer review manipulation pose significant challenges in MTX research.
• The high retraction rates in specific countries emphasize the need for promoting research ethics and scientific integrity.
• Strengthening peer review, increasing data transparency, and enhancing post-publication evaluation are crucial for maintaining confidence in clinical recommendations.