In 2022, the journal published an original article. Recently, a third party alerted the journal to significant similarities between this article and another work by the same authors, published in 2019.
Upon an internal audit, it was discovered that during the peer-review process, one reviewer and an associate editor had recommended rejecting the paper. However, the Editor-in-Chief ultimately decided to accept and publish it. Additionally, some board members were consulted to review the manuscript again, and one noted he had reviewed the 2019 version and had suggested its rejection.
COPE Advice
The Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) advises editors to assess whether the 2022 article contains sufficient originality to justify its publication or if it constitutes either duplication or salami slicing, both considered unethical practices.
Editors should distinguish between a change in editorial opinion and an initial flawed decision-making process (e.g., overlooking fundamental concerns with the article). The key is determining if there is enough new material in the 2022 article to justify its publication. If so, an Expression of Concern might be necessary to explain the editorial decision.
If the 2022 article is a duplicate publication, meaning it repeats content without new data or analysis (even without direct text copying), retraction would be appropriate. If salami slicing is suspected and the prior article was published in the same journal, the authors could be invited to rewrite the 2022 article as a letter, referencing their earlier work. Additionally, the Editor-in-Chief should verify if permission was granted for using material from the 2019 article. The journal should also check for any conflicts of interest between the authors and the editors/reviewers involved.