## BMJ's Journal of Medical Genetics Retracts 7 Papers in Special Issue Over 'Compromised' Peer Review
A major genetics journal has retracted nearly an entire special issue, citing an 'irreparably compromised' peer review process and 'improbable device use.' The BMJ's Journal of Medical Genetics pulled seven of the eight papers from its 2019 special issue, including an editorial that primarily referenced the now-retracted studies. This mass retraction points to a systemic failure in the publication's oversight for that specific collection.

The journal's investigation revealed the guest editor, who is not named in the public notice, selected the peer reviewers. A majority of those reviewers were affiliated with Nanjing University in China. The publisher found evidence of compromised peer review in almost all the articles. The special issue was themed 'Genomic aspects of cancer immunotherapy: Challenges and clinical implications,' with the retracted papers covering methods and immunogenetics in the field.

This incident places significant scrutiny on the integrity of guest-edited special issues and the vulnerability of peer review to manipulation. It raises serious questions for publishers about safeguarding editorial independence and verification processes, especially for high-stakes topics like cancer research. The retractions also create a credibility gap for the specific findings published and underscore the ongoing challenges in maintaining research integrity across global academic networks.
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- **Source**: Retraction Watch
- **Sector**: The Lab
- **Tags**: retraction, peer review, academic integrity, cancer research, Nanjing University
- **Credibility**: unverified
- **Published**: 2026-04-14 20:22:27
- **ID**: 64293
- **URL**: https://whisperx.ai/en/intel/64293