The work of COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics)

1
The work of COPE (Committee on Publication
Ethics)

• Mike Farthing, editor, GUT
• Richard Horton, editor, Lancet
• Richard Smith, editor, BMJ
• Alex Williamson, publishing director, BMJ
  Publishing Group

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What I want to talk about

• What is COPE?
• Why did it start?
• What are its aims?
• How has it done?
• Where now?

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What is COPE?

• The Committee on Publication Ethics founded in
  1977
• A bunch of pals, who are editors and who help
  each other out with ethical problems
• An informal editors support group

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Why did COPE start?

• A growing appreciation of problems around
  scientific integrity
• A series of high profile scandals
• The loneliness of editors
• The feeling that we needed to put our house in
  order
• We couldnt wait for the establishment

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What are the aims of COPE?

• To advise on cases brought by editors
• Publish an annual report
• Publish guidance on the ethics of publishing
• Promote research into publication ethics
• Offer teaching an training

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How has COPE done?

• Aim 1 Advise editors on cases

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COPE cases, 1997-2000
Evidence of
Not applicable
Year
Probably no
No of cases
misconduct
misconduct
1997
18
12
0
6
1998
34
30
2
2
1999
28
20
4
4
2000
23
18
5
0
Total
103
80
11
12
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Problems dealt with by COPE

• Number of cases 103
• Redundant publication 29
• Authorship 18
• Falsification 15
• No informed consent 11
• Unethical Research 11

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Problems dealt with by COPE

• Number of cases 103
• No ethics committee approval 10
• Fabrification 8
• Editorial misconduct 7
• Plagiarism 4
• Undeclared conflict of interest 3

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Problems dealt with by COPE

• Number of cases 103
• Breach of confidentiality 3
• Clinical misconduct 2
• Attacks on whistleblowers 2
• Reviewer misconduct 1
• Deception 1

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Problems dealt with by COPE

• Number of cases 103
• Failure to publish 1
• Ethical questions 11

12
Case example probable fraud on a massive scale

• Statistician would be happy to go to court to say
  that the data in a study submitted to a journal
  are fabricated
• Review of published work of the author suggests
  that around 30 papers published in international
  journals contain fabricated data
• Complaint made to national body

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Case example an unbelievable surgical series

• The surgeon has sutured the superficial temporal
  artery of 1200 patients with migraine. All are
  cured.
• No ethics committee approval. No clear diagnostic
  criteria. No controls. No evidence of consent.
• Complaint made to the head of the hospital. No
  action taken.

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How has COPE done?

• Aim 2 Publish an annual report
• Two published, next one December 2000
• Available publicationethics.org.uk

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How has COPE done?

• Aim 3 Produce a code of publication ethics
• Produced
• Circulated to around 100 editors
• Revised
• Accepted by 98 journals
• Available www.publicaitonethics.org.uk

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How has COPE done?

• Aim 4 promote research into publication ethics
• Small progress
• Research is planned
• Is this research? Perhaps just about.

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How has COPE done?

• Aim 5 Offer teaching and training in publication
  ethics
• Two seminars
• Many lectures

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Where now for COPE?

• Formalise constitution drafted
• Shame the British establishment into responding
  to research misconduct
• Expand
• Continue core activities
• More research and education