Authorship and accountability ContributorshipContributorship –Listed authors deserve authorship IndependenceIndependence –The authors enjoyed the prerogatives of scientists ResponsibilityResponsibility –For the aftercare of the article, including corrections and retractions.

Contributorship Authors should do all of the followingAuthors should do all of the following –Substantial contributions Conception and designConception and design Acquisition of dataAcquisition of data Analysis and interpretationAnalysis and interpretation –Drafting and revising the article –Final approval of the version to be published ICMJE website:

Contributorship Acquisition of funding alone does not justify authorshipAcquisition of funding alone does not justify authorship All authors should qualify and all who qualify should be authors.All authors should qualify and all who qualify should be authors. Each author should have participated sufficiently to take public responsibility for the contentEach author should have participated sufficiently to take public responsibility for the content ICMJE website:

Conception and designConception and design Analysis and interpretation of the dataAnalysis and interpretation of the data Drafting of the articleDrafting of the article Critical revision of the articleCritical revision of the article Final approval of the articleFinal approval of the article Provision of study materials or patientsProvision of study materials or patients Statistical expertiseStatistical expertise Obtaining of fundingObtaining of funding Administrative, technical, or logistical supportAdministrative, technical, or logistical support Collection and assembly of dataCollection and assembly of data AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS: ANNALS

Authorship and accountability ContributorshipContributorship –Listed authors deserve authorship IndependenceIndependence –The authors enjoyed the prerogatives of scientists ResponsibilityResponsibility –For the aftercare of the article, including corrections and retractions.

The role of journals Scientists, corporate sponsors, and journals each have a responsibility to the public.Scientists, corporate sponsors, and journals each have a responsibility to the public. –The journal: veracity, transparency A journal’s reputation enhances the credibility of the articles it publishes.A journal’s reputation enhances the credibility of the articles it publishes. –It has a special role in holding others to account

Accurate representation of accountability In science, the author is accountableIn science, the author is accountable –The author’s reputation (and interest in retaining it) is the best assurance of accurate reporting and honest science. To varying degrees, a corporate sponsor is responsible forTo varying degrees, a corporate sponsor is responsible for –Study design, Analysis, Content of manuscript, Decision to submit the article

Misrepresentation of accountability The authors are leaders in the fieldThe authors are leaders in the field Their peers assume they have the independence of a scientist.Their peers assume they have the independence of a scientist. If they don’t,If they don’t, –The credibility of the study rests on a false premise –The journal becomes an accomplice in misleading the public

Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts (URM) International Committee of Medical Journal EditorsInternational Committee of Medical Journal Editors –Established 1979 Published the Uniform RequirementsPublished the Uniform Requirements –Broad concerns, to include the ethics of authorship and medical publishing –Meet annually Update the RequirementsUpdate the Requirements Take political actionTake political action

Uniform Requirements : as revised May 2001 Authors …… scientists should not enter into agreements that interfere with their (control over the decision to publish the papers they write) access to the data or their ability to analyze the data independently, to prepare manuscripts, and to publish them. Authors should describe the role of study sponsor(s), if any, in study design……. Editors may choose not to consider an article if a sponsor has asserted control over the authors’ right to publish. Ann Intern Med. 2001;135:463-6

Annals of Internal Medicine Conflict Notification Page Attestation of author independence/accountability Did the authors have full access to all study data, take full responsibility for accuracy of the data analysis, and have full authority over manuscript preparation and the decision to publish? ____ Yes ____ No (please explain) Information for authors. Ann Intern Med. 2002

Authorship and Accountability Don’t enter into an arrangement in which you appear to be a scientist but have no controlDon’t enter into an arrangement in which you appear to be a scientist but have no control If you do, be sure that publications represent the true relationship accuratelyIf you do, be sure that publications represent the true relationship accurately

Authorship and accountability ContributorshipContributorship –Listed authors deserve authorship IndependenceIndependence –The authors enjoyed the prerogatives of scientists ResponsibilityResponsibility –For the aftercare of the article, including corrections and retractions.

Scientific fraud: the Poehlman case 204 publications; acknowledged 10 to contain faked data.204 publications; acknowledged 10 to contain faked data. Principle: assume every article is faked until proven otherwise.Principle: assume every article is faked until proven otherwise. The UVM investigationThe UVM investigation Role of co-authorsRole of co-authors –Suspect: P had access to raw data –Clean: P did not have access to raw data –Uncertain: don’t know