A Mummers Farce - Retractions of Medical Papers Conducted in Egyptian Institutions

Egypt currently holds the record for the most retractions in the continent of Africa according to the Retraction Watch database, and the 2nd highest of countries in the Middle East. The purpose of this study was to analyse the retracted medical publications from Egyptian affiliations, in order to delineate specific problems and solutions. We examined databases including Pubmed, Google Scholar and others, for all retracted medical publications that were conducted in an Egyptian institution, up to the date of August 31st 2022. We observed for the reason(s) for retraction, number of citations of the retracted work, the length of time between publication and retraction, and where the work was published (journal, publisher and impact factor). 68 retractions were identified. Most retractions were from the speciality of Obstetrics and Gynecology (n = 22), followed by Anesthesia (n = 7). The top 3 reasons for retraction were unreliable results, FFP level misconduct, and duplicate publication. The number of retractions significantly increased over the years, especially in 2022. When taking into account the number of medical publications per institution, the institute with the highest rate of retractions was Mansoura University, while the lowest rate was Cairo University. The number of retracted medical Egyptian publications continues to increase over time, although they represent a small portion of the overall body of Egyptian medical research. Future studies on retracted articles should employ a methodology that considers the institutions where the studies were conducted. This could allow a better understanding of specific problems in certain countries or regions.

Automated summary

Egypt has the highest number of retractions in Africa and ranks second highest in the Middle East, according to the Retraction Watch database. This study analyzed retracted medical publications from Egyptian affiliations to identify specific problems and solutions. The findings revealed an increasing number of retractions over the years, with Obstetrics and Gynecology being the most affected specialty. Unreliable results, FFP level misconduct, and duplicate publication were identified as the top reasons for retraction. Mansoura University had the highest retraction rate among institutions, while Cairo University had the lowest. The study emphasizes the need for future research to consider the institutions involved in retracted articles to gain a better understanding of specific problems in different countries or regions.