Over the past decade there has been a 10 fold increase of the number of retractions and only a 44% increase in journal articles. Some retractions are from errors but many are from misconduct. At the heart of the problem is an economic incentive that fuels a hypercompetitive environment that fosters misconduct, sensationalism, and attempting to publish in high profile journals. The editors of at least five major journals have been outspoken and/or quit their jobs as editors in chief of their journals. They include the Journal of the American Medical Association, the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of Clinical Investigation, the Journal of Infection and Immunity, and mBio.
