Authorship Misconduct in Scientific Publishing: Lessons from the Pan African Medical Journal

Authorship Misconduct in Scientific Publishing: Lessons from the Pan African Medical Journal

Every published scientific paper represents more than research; it represents trust. Readers trust that the findings are original, authors trust the publication process, and journals are entrusted with protecting the integrity of the scientific record. Yet behind every issue of a journal lies a less visible reality: the ongoing battle against authorship misconduct.

Maintaining ethical standards is one of the greatest responsibilities of any scientific journal. At the Pan African Medical Journal (PAMJ), more than 15 years of editorial experience have shown that authorship misconduct remains a persistent challenge, requiring constant vigilance, stronger editorial processes, and collaboration between editors and researchers.

Among the most common forms of misconduct are plagiarism, duplicate publication, conflicts of interest, and authorship disputes. While plagiarism is often associated with copying another person´s work, our experience has shown that many cases are far more sophisticated. Authors may make minor changes to a manuscript to disguise its origin, making detection difficult even with plagiarism detection software.

One of the most memorable cases we encountered challenged our assumptions entirely. A manuscript was submitted to the journal but was eventually abandoned after the authors failed to respond to repeated requests for revisions. Nearly a year later, another group submitted what appeared to be an original manuscript on the same subject. It successfully passed peer review and was published.

Only after publication did the original author contact us with an alarming claim: the published article was, in fact, his work.

Our investigation confirmed that the two manuscripts were virtually identical. The only significant difference was the list of authors. What followed was a lengthy dispute, with both parties claiming ownership of the research. Rather than taking sides, we relied on objective evidence. The decisive factor was the ability of the original author to demonstrate legitimate involvement in the patient´s care and provide documentation supporting the research. The published authors could not do the same. The article was ultimately retracted, and when the case was later reviewed by PubMed, the evidence supported the journal´s decision.

Cases like this remind us that protecting publication ethics often extends far beyond running a plagiarism check.

Duplicate publication has presented another significant concern. In some instances, authors submit the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously in an attempt to shorten publication timelines. This practice has resulted in articles being published in more than one journal, leaving retraction as the only appropriate remedy. Such experiences have reinforced the importance of conducting final verification checks before publication.

Authorship disputes have also become increasingly common. Requests to change the order of authors or modify the author list after publication require careful handling. In managing these situations, PAMJ follows internationally recognised guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), ensuring that decisions are fair, transparent, and aligned with global best practices.

These experiences have prompted continuous improvements to the journal´s editorial policies. Manuscripts undergo multiple verification stages before publication, including quality control, systematic searches for duplicate submissions and comprehensive plagiarism screening using iThenticate. Communication with authors has become more proactive to identify potential ethical concerns before publication. The journal has also adopted a stricter approach to conflicts of interest, which involves rejecting manuscripts with undisclosed conflicts that compromise research integrity.

Scientific publishing depends on trust. Editors have a responsibility to protect the integrity of the scholarly record, while authors share an equal responsibility to uphold the highest ethical standards. Preventing authorship misconduct is not solely the role of journals—it requires a collective commitment from the entire research community.

Although significant progress has been made, the journey toward stronger publication ethics continues. By investing in robust editorial practices, embracing international standards, and fostering a culture of research integrity, scientific journals can help strengthen the quality and credibility of scholarly publishing, particularly within the growing African research landscape.

                                                       Brunhilda Tambe and Audrey Kenni