We conducted an electronic survey of our UK-based submitting authors and reviewers about research misconduct in the UK. We invited 9,036 to take part and 2,782 responded (31%) within a week. We asked them if they had witnessed, or had firsthand knowledge of, UK-based scientists or doctors inappropriately adjusting, excluding, altering or fabricating data during their research or for the purposes of publication. We also asked them if they were aware of any cases of possible research misconduct at their institution that, in their view, had not been properly investigated? 354 (13%) reported they had witnessed or hand firsthand knowledge of misconduct and 163 (6%) felt that cases had not been properly investigated.
Details of our methods and study limitations are provided in the PowerPoint presentation below.