Doing your own research isn't a bad thing, I tell my patients. But just how will they spot the fraudulent papers? | Ranjana Srivastava

Medical journals are awash with fake or manipulated research papers that are flooding academic inboxes. The culprit? A thriving industry of "paper mills" churning out dubious work, brokers peddling fake credentials and "predatory" journals that care more about cash than quality.

The trouble is, those who are most vulnerable to these scams - patients suffering from cancer - often can't tell the difference between real and fake research. With cancer being the most vulnerable field for fraudulent research, the consequences are dire: a large fraction of the literature on the subject is unreliable. The ease with which fake papers can be constructed has been exacerbated by the advent of artificial intelligence.

This has significant implications for patients seeking information online about their condition. Many will do their own research, scouring the internet for answers that might make all the difference between life and death. But without the expertise to critically evaluate what they've found, they're at risk of falling prey to misinformation or worse - being convinced to try unproven treatments that can be expensive and devastating.

As an oncologist, I know how galling it is when patients come to me with a laundry list of alternative therapies they claim have been proven to cure cancer. The reality is that no one knows everything about medicine, and some research will always require expert evaluation. The problem is that the public's trust in science has waned, and reputable institutions are facing funding cuts.

To combat this, we need better support for genuine research, increased vigilance from publishers, and a greater awareness of the scale of the problem among the general public. Patients who take their own research into their own hands can be both positive and negative - on the one hand, insightful questions can push doctors to think harder; on the other, misinformation can lead to unnecessary suffering.

The bottom line is that patients deserve better than a hodgepodge of conflicting advice or unproven treatments. They need access to credible information and expert guidance, not some dodgy online article claiming to be peer-reviewed. It's time we took steps to stem the tide of fake research and ensure that those in desperate need get the best possible care - evidence-based care, supported by rigorous scientific inquiry.

"A lie repeated a thousand times is still a lie" - that's what's happening with all these fake papers flooding academic journals! It's like they're playing with people's lives and it's just not right Patients are the ones who suffer, and we need to take action before more people get hurt We can't just sit back and let unproven treatments become mainstream - that's a recipe for disaster

this is so worrying lol I've seen so many articles online about cancer cures and treatments but you never know what's fact and what's not it's crazy how fake research can be made to sound legit with all the fancy jargon and citations... AI might've made it easier for these "paper mills" but it's still super concerning that patients are getting misled into trying unproven stuff I feel bad for oncologists like the doc in this article who have to deal with patients spouting off on alternative therapies anyway, think we need more transparency and fact-checking from publishers and the medical community... can't stress enough how important it is to get info from credible sources

It's like, have you ever noticed how all these "new" treatments for cancer just seem too good (and cheap) to be true? I mean, I've been following this whole fake research thing, and it's wild... someone's gotta make a buck off people who are sick and desperate. But what really gets my goat is that patients can't even trust the research themselves because of all these fake papers floating around . It's like, they're trying to find answers online, but they don't know how to spot the BS. And then there's these "predatory" journals that just care about making money... it's like, what kind of world are we living in? We need to get our priorities straight and support real research, or people will keep getting hurt .

The scary thing is when we think we're empowered with info, but really we're just playing into the hands of scammers . I mean, cancer patients are already vulnerable enough, they shouldn't have to navigate a web of fake research too. It's like, we want them to be proactive about their health, but not at the expense of their lives .

And yeah, it's not just about patient safety – it's also about the trust we put in institutions and experts. If people start questioning everything online, how can we expect doctors and researchers to do their jobs? It's a delicate balance between being informed and being misled . We need more transparency and accountability, especially from publishers and those who make money off this stuff .

It's also got me thinking about the responsibility that comes with knowledge . As a society, we're not just consuming info – we're influencing each other's decisions. So, how can we ensure we're making informed choices? And what's the cost of playing it safe vs taking risks with new ideas? It's all part of this complex dance between progress and prudence

The internet is just so crazy sometimes ! I mean, can you believe there are people out there making up fake research papers? It's like, how hard is it to fact-check something before sharing it with the world? And now with AI and all that jazz, it's even easier to churn out nonsense. Cancer patients, in particular, can't afford to get scammed by misinformation about their condition. I feel so bad for those poor folks who are already dealing with a life-threatening illness. We need to take this seriously and make sure our medical institutions are doing everything they can to combat these fake research papers. Patients deserve the best chance at recovery, not some dodgy online article that might be hurting them instead of helping

Ugh, this is like, so not good . I mean, who needs cancer research when you can just make it up, right? It's crazy that people are actually doing this stuff and profiting off of it. And the worst part is, patients are getting hurt because of it. They're trying to find answers online and they're getting misinformation left and right. It's like, hello, cancer isn't a game where you can just try different things until you find what works .

And don't even get me started on the "paper mills" that are churning out this fake stuff. I mean, come on, guys, how hard is it to do some actual research? It's not that deep . And the fact that reputable institutions are facing funding cuts because of it... ugh, it's just so frustrating .

We need to get our act together and support real research, not this fake stuff. And we need to make sure patients know how to critically evaluate what they're reading online. It's not that hard, guys . We just need to take some basic precautions and seek out credible sources. Easy peasy .

I'm so worried about these fake medical papers ! It's like, I get it, some people might not know how to spot a good study from a bad one, but cancer patients can't afford to be wrong about their treatment . We need to do better by them and support legit research instead of just chasing those $$$ journals . And honestly, AI is making this whole thing worse - I mean, it's easy enough for anyone to write a paper with some fancy words, but does that really make it true? . We gotta trust the experts and let them do their thing . Patients need credible info and expert advice, not just some dodgy article online .

I'M SO FED UP WITH ALL THESE FAKE RESEARCH PAPERS OUT THERE!!! IT'S LIKE, WHO NEEDS THE TRUTH WHEN YOU CAN JUST CHURN OUT SOME CRAP AND SELL IT AS GOLD?! these "paper mills" are just a bunch of scammers preying on people who need medical info the most. patients with cancer can't afford to get it wrong, and yet they're getting fed a diet of dubious research that's only gonna make things worse. we need to step up the game and support real research, not these fake outlets that are just in it for the cash. it's time to take back control of our health info and demand credible sources, not some dodgy online article claiming to be peer-reviewed!

man this is so messed up fake research is like a plague on our medical community it's not just about patients being misled but also about the credibility of science as a whole...think about it, if we can't trust what's published in reputable journals how do we know what's true and what's not?

and AI is making it even easier for these "paper mills" to churn out garbage...it's like, where's the human element in all this? we're losing the art of critical thinking in science, just because we can automate some tasks doesn't mean we've lost our minds

anyway, i feel so sorry for the patients who are getting misled by these dodgy online articles they deserve better than to be told that some random study is gonna cure their cancer...i mean, what even is that?

I just got back from the most epic road trip with my squad and we saw the most stunning sunset on the beach . I mean, have you ever seen a sky turn pink and orange like that? It was like nature's own fireworks display! We were all just chillin', soaking up the vibes, and suddenly this thought struck me - what if scientists were trying to create fake sunsets to study how our brains respond to natural beauty? Like, can we really trust what our eyes see when it comes to perception? Spent the rest of the night pondering that .

omg can u even imagine what it must b like 4 a cancer patient 2 navigate thru all ths fake info online? i had 2 deal w/ my mom's friend last yr who thought thatacupuncture cud "cure" her breast cancer lol it was so frustrating 2 explain 2 her how none of it worked. anywayz, i think we need 2 do better 2 verify research papers b4 we share them online. like, AI might make it easier 2 create fake stuff but it's up 2 us 2 be more vigilant