SCIENTIFIC MISCONDUCT AND BREACH OF PUBLICATION ETHICS: ONE EDITOR'S EXPERIENCE

I summarize my experience with scientific misconduct and breach of publication ethics during my 10 year term as Editor-in-Chief and my first 3 years as Scientific Integrity Advisor for Neurology, the official publication of the American Academy of Neurology. I describe in some detail the highly publicized, lengthy saga involving the accusation from a former colleague that James Abbs falsified data in an article published in Neurology. Nine years later, after numerous investigations and law suits, Abbs was found to have engaged in scientific misconduct which prompted the retraction of the article. Most of the problems I encountered were less complex and involved claims of plagiarism (regarded as "scientific misconduct") and self plagiarism (regarded as a "breach of publication ethics"). I conclude by providing helpful sources for editors in dealing with these infractions.