UQ continues second phase of research misconduct investigation

Statement from University of Queensland President and Vice-Chancellor Peter Høj

An investigation of more than 100 published papers associated with two former University of Queensland academics has not revealed any further instances of research apparently not supported by data.

The validity of the papers was investigated in the wake of a UQ-initiated formal research misconduct inquiry that led to the University seeking the retraction of an article published in the European Journal of Neurology.

UQ has now undertaken an extensive examination of papers published since 2007 that included either or both researchers as authors.

The University discovered no instances of research not supported by data or of research undertaken without ethics approval.

It has, however, identified some concerns about the attribution of authorship of a small number of papers and the statistical approach taken in one paper.

We have provided relevant details to the editors of the journals that published the papers.

In all cases it will be up to the editors to determine what action to take now.

There have been no formal responses from editors at this stage.

In addition, at least one review paper published jointly by the authors subsequent to the retracted European Journal of Neurology paper relied to varying degrees on that discredited paper’s findings. 

The editor of the journal involved has been informed.

Review articles provide an overview and interpretation of a broad international range of published works in a particular field, but do, as a general rule, not introduce any new data or research.

Media: Carolyn Varley 07 3365 1120, c.varley@uq.edu.au.