Research integrity and publication ethics

The basic principle for professional conduct of science in all countries and all disciplines is honesty towards oneself and towards others. Therefore it is utmost important that the scientific community prevents scientific misconduct by fostering research integrity. This commentary reports on the experience of a German 'Ombudsman' and relates it to the international concepts of good scientific practice as well as the questions of publication ethics. Biomedical research seems to be most susceptible for scientific misconduct since internationally we see many of the cases in this field. Here possible explanations for the observed misconduct are discussed as well as ways to prevent it. The intention is to both alert scientists and ultimately to adjust the scientific system in a way which allows the next generation of scientists to develop their careers in true research integrity. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.