PLOS ONE Retractions: 45 Editors Linked to Over 30% of Retracted Papers

A study in PNAS reveals a shocking pattern of misconduct at PLOS ONE. 45 editors, responsible for only 1.3% of published articles, were linked to over 30% of the journal's 702 retractions by early 2024. Twenty-five of these editors even authored retracted papers themselves. The research suggests a coordinated network potentially involving paper mills, highlighting systemic flaws in peer review. Specific editors, like Shahid Farooq (52 out of 79 edited papers retracted), demonstrate exceptionally high retraction rates. PLOS acknowledges the issue and states it has taken action, but the incident underscores the vulnerabilities of open-access journals to manipulation.