A case study of misrepresentation of the scientific literature: Recent reviews of chiropractic

Accurate use of published data and references is a cornerstone of the peer- review process. Statements, inferences, and conclusions based upon these re ferences should logically ensue from the data they contain. When journal ar ticles and textbook chapters summarizing the safety and efficacy of particu lar therapies or interventions use references inaccurately or with apparent intent to mislead, the integrity of scientific reporting is fundamentally compromised. Ernst et al.'s publication on chiropractic include repeated misuse of refer ences, misleading statements, highly selective use of certain published pap ers, failure to refer to relevant literature, inaccurate reporting of the c ontents of published work, and errors in citation. Meticulous analysis of s ome influential negative reviews has been carried out to determine the obje ctivity of the data reported. The misrepresentation that became evident des erves full debate and raises serious questions about the integrity of the p eer-review process and the nature of academic misconduct.