A growing problem in China’s medical research sector is the widespread practice of ghostwriting and ghost-publishing for academic journals. Searching “medical journal ghostwriting” on social media reveals numerous services advertising “one-stop publication in core journals” and “experienced writers,” with prices ranging from around 10,000 yuan (US$1,400) for ordinary journals to 40,000–50,000 yuan for core journals. These services typically handle writing but do not guarantee publication unless additional fees are paid, creating a full-fledged industry chain.
This phenomenon has contributed to a high rate of paper retractions among Chinese medical institutions. A recent Nature study analyzing global retractions from 2014 to 2024 found that Jining First People’s Hospital had the world’s highest retraction rate, exceeding 5 percent. Seven of the top ten institutions for retractions were in China, including major hospitals such as Cangzhou Central Hospital and Huaihe Hospital of Henan University. Analysis from a UK academic integrity firm showed that approximately 70 percent of institutions with retraction rates above 1 percent were Chinese, most of them hospitals or medical schools.
The academic misconduct has led to bizarre and implausible findings. Some obstetrics papers reported “male patients with uterine fibroids” or “male high-risk pregnant women,” while one study from the Affiliated People’s Hospital of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine listed 64 male samples among 100 gynecological cases. These cases underscore the serious integrity issues facing China’s medical research community and the risks posed by the ghostwriting industry.
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Source: CCTV, September 29, 2025
https://news.cctv.com/2025/09/29/ARTI11mg9N3trdIl2vI2US2v250929.shtml