Document Type : Letter to Editor

Author

• THORAKKAL SHAMIM

Dental Assistant Surgeon, Department of Dentistry, Government Taluk Head Quarters Hospital, Malappuram – 676519, India

Abstract

This letter addresses the current scenario ofpredatory publishers in the medical fieldand strategies to curb young researchers frompredatory publishing. Today, the increasingtrend and magnitude of predatory publishershave proposed a big challenge to youngresearchers in the medical field (1). Predatorypublishers are publishers which publish paperswith questionable peer review, charge enormouspublication fees with unknown location ofthe real controlling entity (2). Jeffry Beall hasupdated the lists of predatory publications morerecently (3). Predatory publishers are publishingbogus research which are harmful to the patientand the public and cause threat to the integrity ofscientific research (4). It was evident from a recentstudy from India that predatory publications mayhave several publication houses with differentnames under a single roof to trap authors fromdifferent geographic locations (5). People with noresearch interest, persons with intention of quickpublication for promotion, innocent researchersunaware of predatory unscientific practice areoften victims to predatory publishers (6). Morerecently, World Association of Medical Editorshas conveyed information about the role ofDirectory of open access journals (DOAJ).Beall’s list of predatory publications and thinkcheck submit criteria in distinguishing predatoryfrom legitimate publications were appreciatedthroughout the globe (7). The young researchersshould keep the above attributes related topredatory publishers in mind.The following strategies (individual- wise andcommunity- wise) should be implemented to curbyoung researchers from predatory publishing.If the researcher had got invitation to submitan article from a predatory publisher as email,he/she should follow Beall’s list of predatorypublications, think check submit criteria andDirectory of open access journals (DOAJ) andPubMed indexation to authenticate the publisher.World Association of Medical Editors shouldinitiate continuing medical education programsand workshops regarding predatory publishersthroughout the globe through regional bodiessuch as Indian Association of Medical JournalEditors (India), Pakistan Association of MedicalEditors (Pakistan) and Iranian Society of MedicalEditors (Iran). The members of the above-saidassociations should conduct workshops andcontinuing medical education programs inregional areas to encourage ethical publishingin future. It will be more interesting if WorldAssociation of Medical Editors has come up withpredatory publishers, detecting software installedin Medical Universities similar to plagiarismdetection software to halt the flourishing ofpredatory publishers.