Availability of retracted Covid-19 papers on Internet research-sharing platforms

Abstract

Introduction: this paper investigated the availability of retracted/with Expression of Concern Covid-19 papers on research-sharing platforms. Methods: from the “Retraction Watch” (RW) list of Covid-19 retracted/with Expressions of Concern (EoC) papers, all articles pertaining to Covid-19 treatment were selected. After their identification, paper titles and authors were searched on the platforms: Research Gate and Academia (Academia.com). In case a retracted or EoC paper was identified as available, the presence of a warning note was ascertained (either as an attached note or as a direct warning on the paper). The citations that these papers received were then identified on the Google Scholar platform, and classified as prior to retraction date/posterior to retraction date. Results: at first, a total of 44 papers were selected from the RW list. Out of these, 18 full papers could be obtained in the analyzed platforms (15 retractions, 3 EoCs). Fourteen of the identified papers concerned dubious, ineffective or “alternative” treatments. The most common countries of origin were India and Egypt. The median number of Google Scholar post-retraction citations was 29,5 and the mean 42,9 (range: 0 - 128). Conclusion: research-sharing platforms should implement mechanisms to prevent non reliable research to be made available in them