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Protecting Trust in Science
This collection explores challenges and strategies
Scientific trust is one of the most valuable assets in research—and one of the most vulnerable. As predatory journals, fraudulent conferences, paper mills, and AI-enabled misconduct grow more sophisticated, the scientific community faces mounting challenges to the integrity of the evidence base. At the same time, restoring public confidence requires more than detecting bad actors; it demands transparency, accountability, and a renewed commitment to ethical publishing practices. Explore insights, emerging threats, and practical solutions shaping the future of trustworthy science.
Explore the Collection
Protecting trust in science requires vigilance across the entire research and publication ecosystem. This collection brings together thought leadership from two important ISMPP initiatives addressing the integrity of scholarly publishing and scientific communication.
The Dark Side of Publishing series was developed by the Predatory Publishing Workstream of the ISMPP Publication Ethics and Standards Committee. These articles examine the growing threats posed by predatory journals, fraudulent conferences, paper mills, publication fraud, and the misuse of emerging technologies, offering practical guidance for recognizing and avoiding unethical publishing practices.
Complementing this perspective, Restoring Trust in Science and the related webinar emerged from a collaboration between ISMPP and the Council of Science Editors (CSE) through the ISMPP Professional Collaborations Committee. Together, they explore the broader challenge of rebuilding confidence in science through transparency, accountability, effective communication, and meaningful engagement with the public. To provide historical context, the collection also includes foundational articles from the ISMPP archives that demonstrate how concerns about predatory publishing have evolved over the past decade.
The Dark Side of Publishing series from the ISMPP Publication Ethics & Standards Committee
Restoring Trust in Science article & webinar
From the ISMPP Insider Archives
ISMPP Leadership Update: A New Role Dedicated to our Members and ISMPP Staff Advancements
Dear Colleagues, As we round out the year and enjoy the holiday season, I am writing with some very exciting ISMPP news! Our professional society continues to grow and evolve in an effort to best serve the needs of our members. To reinforce ISMPP’s ongoing commitment...
When a Bespoke AI Tool Falls Short: What Would You Do?
You are a medical writer at an agency using a pharmaceutical company’s internally developed generative AI tool to draft a manuscript reporting results from a phase 3 clinical trial. Although the tool is approved for use and initially performs well, you begin to identify inaccuracies that require substantial human correction, reducing its expected efficiency. With tight timelines, organizational expectations, and scientific integrity all at stake, what would you do?
Advancing Plain Language in Clinical Research Communications
ISMPP supports the use of the MRCT Center’s Clinical Research Glossary, a patient-centered resource that helps make clinical research terminology more understandable, accessible, and actionable—advancing clear communication, health literacy, and informed decision-making across the research ecosystem.
Slowing Down to Speed Up: Rethinking Productivity, Trust, and AI in MedComms
At the 2026 European Meeting of ISMPP, keynote speaker Michael Siller challenged a common assumption: that speed and rigor are opposing forces. Drawing on examples from history, psychology, and workplace dynamics, he argued that sustainable speed is achieved not by working harder or faster, but by intentionally slowing down to build resilience, adaptability, and trust. The result is a practical framework for navigating complexity, strengthening collaboration, and approaching AI-enabled workflows with greater confidence.
Shining the Spotlight: The Dark Side of Publishing Gets Even Darker
Predatory publishing has evolved beyond questionable journals into a complex ecosystem of paper mills, review manipulation, and AI-enabled fraud. This article explores emerging threats to research integrity and introduces the Quad P framework—Prevention, Probing, Protection, and Preservation—to help professionals identify risks and safeguard the publication lifecycle.
Why Volunteer With ISMPP? More Than Giving Back
The 2026 Annual Meeting of ISMPP takes place on April 19-22 in Washington, D.C. See you there!
Seeing Beyond Speed: Debating AI’s Value in Medical Communications
At the 2026 European Meeting of ISMPP, a lively “balloon debate” explored a simple but important question: what is AI’s most valuable contribution to medical communications? Framed around the familiar challenge of delivering work faster, better, or cheaper, the debate featured four competing perspectives—quality and trust, speed and scalability, transformational potential, and informed skepticism—and challenged attendees to rethink the tradeoffs that have long shaped the profession.