The case of the misleading funnel plot

Evidence based medicine insists on rigorous standards to appraise clinical interventions, and failure to apply the same rules to its own tools could be equally damaging.

Abstract

Given the above considerations, plagiarism is better dealt with by concentrating on an instructional system of prevention. Many institutions have begun to implement courses on the responsible conduct of research, exploring a range of research integrity issues. Although this is a step in the right direction, such instruction benefits mainly students. Legions of seasoned researchers continue to operate without such instruction. Clearly, research integrity needs to be incorporated into continuing education targeted at this group.