Please give additional activity details (i.e., reach, impact, duration, return on investment) In 2023, more than 10,000 biomedical publications were retracted from academic journals due to deficiencies — more than ever before. The reasons are varied and range from unintentional errors to data manipulation and even the fabrication of entire publications. In the meantime, commercial agencies known as “paper mills” have specialized in producing such works. Using AI, they operate with great efficiency and, thanks to a corrupt network, can even facilitate publication in academic journals. When such papers are included in systematic reviews and guidelines, they can distort the evidence base and lead to flawed medical decisions.

Misinformation that appears to be scientifically grounded also spreads in the form of fake news about research, pseudoscientific health claims, or climate change denial, contributing to the deliberate disinformation of the public.

During the 4th Cochrane Germany Symposium, we aimed to discuss with experts the various forms of scientific fraud, its scope, causes, and concrete examples — and explored how it can be identified and prevented.