107篇中國學術論文造假遭外國期刊撤稿

An international medical journal's retraction of 107 research Papers from China, many of them by clinical doctors, has reignited concerns over academic credibility in the country.

一家國際醫學雜誌撤銷了107篇中國學術論文，由此引發了人們對中國學術誠信的關注。被撤稿的作者多數是臨牀醫生。

Tumor Biology, a journal published by Springer Nature, announced last week that it had retracted the papers after an investigation showed the peer review process had been compromised.

由施普林格自然集團出版的雜誌《腫瘤生物學》上週宣佈，調查顯示，這107篇論文的同行評審過程存在問題，因此已被撤稿。

"The articles were submitted with reviewer suggestions, which had real researcher names but fabricated email addresses," Peter Butler, editorial director for cell biology and biochemistry at Springer Nature, told Shanghai-based news website The Paper.

施普林格自然集團細胞生物學和生物化學編輯部主任皮特?巴特勒對上海澎湃新聞網站表示：“這些論文提交的評審人建議中，使用了評審人的真實姓名，但假冒了其電子郵件地址。”

"The editors thought the articles were being sent out to genuine reviewers in the discipline," he said. "Following our investigation and communication with the real reviewers, they confirmed they did not conduct the peer review."

“這讓編輯以爲文章發送給了該學科真正的評審人。我們與真正的評審人進行調查和溝通後，他們確認並沒有對論文做過評審。

Peer review is an evaluation of work by one or more people of similar competence to those who produce the work, which helps validate research.

同行評審指由一個或多個與論文作者業務能力相當的人進行評估，這有助於對研究進行驗證。

The online notice about the retraction lists all 107 articles and 524 authors, nearly all of whom are clinical cancer specialists from China. The hospitals named are all top public institutions.

網上的撤稿公告共列出了107篇論文及524位作者，他們幾乎都是中國臨牀腫瘤專家。所涉及的醫院都是頂級公立機構。

A Beijing cancer specialist who didn't want to be named said on Sunday that although there is no excuse for compromising scientific credibility, the incident reveals a widespread dilemma facing Chinese physicians who struggle to strike a balance between overloaded daily work schedules and academic requirements, primarily publishing papers to secure professional development and promotion.

一位不具名的北京癌症專家23日稱，雖說破壞科學公信力的行爲不該有任何藉口，但是這起事件揭示了中國醫生面臨的普遍困境，即在超負荷的日常工作安排與發表論文以爭取職業發展和升職的主要學術要求之間很難維持平衡。

"How many patients do Chinese doctors see a day? It can be more than 50," he told China Daily. "How can we have the time and energy to do research or publish papers?"

他告訴《中國日報》：“中國醫生每天要看多少病人？可能超過50個。我們怎麼可能有時間和精力做研究或發論文呢？”

For those outside the scientific community, the response to the retraction has been mixed.

科學圈外的人士對論文撤稿的反應不一。

"Hard to believe so many doctors lied in the papers. Can patients still trust them to help us treat diseases?" wrote one Sina Weibo user.

一位新浪微博網友寫道：“不敢相信這麼多醫生都在論文中造假。病人還能相信他們可以幫人治病嗎？”

However, others argued that doctors' hands may be forced by an unfair system. "As a patient, I'm more concerned about whether they can cure my illness rather than how many papers they've published," another netizen said.

然而，還有人認爲醫生的所作所爲可能是受不公平的體制所迫。另一位網友稱：“作爲一個病人，我更關心他們能否治好我的病，而不是他們發表了多少論文。”

Wang Chunfa, executive secretary of the China Association for Science and Technology, has expressed deep concern over the retraction, which came just days after he met in Beijing with Arnout Jacobs, the head of Springer Nature for Greater China.

中國科學技術協會書記處書記王春法對撤稿事件表示深切關注，事件發生幾天前，他剛在北京與施普林格自然集團大中華地區總裁安諾傑會面溝通。

In that meeting, he told Jacobs that such problems would decrease, as China is reforming its management system in science and technology, according to a statement by the association on Friday.

據中國科協21日發表的聲明稱，在會談中，王春法對安諾傑表示，中國正在進行科技管理體制改革，此類問題將有所減少。

Wang said the journal and authors had an unavoidable responsibility in the latest scandal, with the statement adding that Tumor Biology had retracted papers over similar concerns about the peer review process in 2015.

他說，雜誌和作者在這起最近發生的醜聞中都有不可推卸的責任，聲明中還說，《腫瘤生物學》在2015年就已經因同行評議過程存在類似問題而撤銷一些論文。

Verification and evaluation should be enhanced before publication, Wang said.

王春法說，在出版前應加強審查和評估。

Jacobs vowed at the meeting to improve management and cooperation with the association to enhance the credibility of the science. He stressed the publisher was not targeting China, as it had also retracted papers by experts from other countries, the statement said.

聲明表示，安諾傑在會談中承諾將加強管理，增強與中國科協的合作，提升科學公信力。他強調，施普林格自然集團並非針對中國，他們也撤銷過其他國家專家的論文。