Retracted studies

Retracted studies are studies that have been officially been withdrawn from publication.

There are a variety of reasons why studies may be retracted and these include:

• Scientific misconduct:
  • includes fraud, fabrication, falsification of data, plagiarism, and other ethical violations
• Errors:
  • can include honest mistakes in methodology, analysis, or reporting
• Publication issues:
  • can include duplicate publications, authorship disputes, or journal errors

A review identified 50 systematic reviews with 173 meta-analyses, each including ≥1 retracted study, and found the statistical significance of the results changed in 18 meta-analyses after exclusion of the retracted study (1):

• study authors concluded that retracted studies have been included in systematic reviews and meta-analyses, with retractions occurring mainly after the publication of the systematic review
  • inclusion of retracted studies can impact the results and interpretation of reviews
  • quality control measures should be implemented to prevent the dissemination of unreliable data in scientific literature

Reference:

1. Possamai G et al. Inclusion of Retracted Studies in Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Interventions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA Intern Med. Published online March 31, 2025.