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Ethical Challenges of the "Publish or Perish" Culture in Clinical Research: Insights from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The principle of of "publish or perish" has long shaped the academic and clinical research environment, becoming a central benchmark for professional advancement and recognition within the scientific community.1 While its original purpose was to encourage productivity and the spread of new knowledge, this mindset has developed over time, placing substantial pressure on researchers to produce frequent publications to obtain funding, promotions, and tenure.Unfortunately, this constant drive to publish can carry significant ethical drawbacks, undermining research integrity and diminishing the quality of scientific work.In this paper, we examine these negative impacts on scientific research, using examples from the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Source: Balkan Medical Journal

DOI: 10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2025.2025-6-80

Authors: Yusuf Samet Yaraş, Duygu İşlek

Institutions: Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University

Language: English

Topic: Academic integrity and plagiarism

Subfield: Safety Research

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences

Awards: G196810821, G9000046174