PEER-REVIEWED? EVIDENCE-BASED? Misleading, False and Unreferenced Information Plagues PEDIATRICS® Medical Journal
Pediatrics® is the official flagship journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and most-cited journal in pediatric medicine. Despite its past accolades, the journal has been put on notice regarding the publishing of two recent articles in its current November 2018 issue. A retraction request chronicling extensive supporting evidence that both Pediatrics® articles in question contained misleading, false and unreferenced information, conclusions based on unscientific assumptions and improper attacks on physicians. Of equal importance, the retraction request points out the author’s multiple, ongoing undisclosed conflict-of-interest. Pediatrics® demands all authors “…submit conflict of interest and disclosure forms.” The reckless nature of the recent journal publications suggests that either Pediatrics® was not informed of the author’s ongoing, undisclosed conflict-of-interest or the journal willfully chose to omit such conflicts. In any event, the outcome spotlights cracks in the integrity and validity of information presented in AAP’s journal. Given the journal’s sloppy peer-review process concerning the recent articles, the possibility of failed checks and balances within the journal’s peer-review and vetting structure is now a possibility. At the time of writing Pediatrics® has not signaled its intent to remove the articles in question.
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