Retraction Watch Database Analysis of Retracted Medical Articles from Kazakhstan

Abstract

Introduction. Nowadays, the scientific community attaches excellent interest to the quality of scientific publications. Published papers
containing inaccuracies and errors are subjected to the retraction procedure, which is essential to ensure the integrity and ethics of publications,
revealing irregularities such as fabrication, falsification, conflicts of interest and plagiarism.
This study aims to analyse retracted articles in medicine and public health from Kazakhstan to identify the causes of retraction and
draw the scientific community's attention to improve the quality of scientific publications.
Methods. In this study, the authors searched the Retraction Watch database with up-to-date information as of 18 January 2024. They
found 129 retracted articles from Kazakhstan, among which 13 were related to medicine and public health. Inclusion criteria were retracted articles from Kazakhstan in the categories "Medicine" and "Public Health", excluding articles not from Kazakhstan or not related to these categories.
Results. The search results showed that of the 13 retracted articles, eight were related to medical topics, and five were in the field of public health and safety. Reasons for retraction were highlighted, such as data concerns, journal investigations, lack of ethical approval, duplicate articles, fake peer review, and plagiarism. Additional analysis showed that half of the retracted articles resulted from joint work
between Kazakhstani and Russian authors. Research articles were most often retracted, and the interval between publication and retraction ranged from 6 to 54 months.
Conclusion. The discussion of the results emphasises the importance of adhering to ethical standards in medical research. Retraction of articles plays a crucial role in maintaining the quality and reliability of scientific publications, emphasising the need for accuracy in conducting and publishing research in the field.