RETRACTIONS of methotrexate research articles most often stem from data integrity concerns, fraudulent activity, and manipulation of the peer review process. This is according to a new bibliometric analysis. The findings highlight persistent challenges in safeguarding the quality of literature related to one of the most widely used antifolate drugs in rheumatology, oncology, and dermatology.
Researchers conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study by searching PubMed for retracted publications on methotrexate, with no time restrictions applied. A total of 36 retracted papers were identified, and bibliometric details were reviewed to assess reasons for retraction, journal characteristics, citation patterns, and Altmetric Attention Scores.
The most frequent reason for retraction was related to data concerns, accounting for 15 of the papers. Fraudulent activities were responsible for 11 cases, and manipulation of the peer review process contributed to 10. Geographically, the largest number of retractions originated from China with 14 papers, followed by the United States with 6 and Egypt with 3.
The time from publication to retraction varied considerably, with a median interval of nearly two years. While the articles covered a range of disciplines, most were published in journals outside the field of rheumatology. Citation analysis showed limited academic influence, with a median of five citations per article. Altmetric scores were also low, with a median of one, suggesting minimal public attention prior to retraction.
The study underscores the vulnerability of clinical research on methotrexate to misconduct and errors. The authors concluded that promoting transparency in data reporting, strengthening the peer review process, and encouraging ongoing post-publication scrutiny are essential measures to protect scientific integrity. For clinicians, awareness of retractions is vital in ensuring confidence in the evidence base used to guide patient care.
Reference: Kocyigit BF et al. Analysis of retracted publications on methotrexate. J Korean Med Sci. 2025;40(38):e243.
