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

The world of research has become a Wild West show where the lines between fact and fiction are increasingly blurred. As someone who's spent years studying cancer, I've witnessed firsthand how fake research can lead patients down a path of misinformation and despair.

It starts with invitations to submit papers on anything but nothing – an offer that seems too good to be true. Then, there's the promise of professional recognition through membership in "prestigious" societies where your name is all you need to attend. The catch? You don't have to write a word. The allure is that if you're already a researcher, you're under pressure to publish or perish.

The alarming reality is that fraudulent publishing has become an industrial-sized problem. According to Northwestern University research, fake papers are being churned out at a rate of 400,000 per decade – mostly in the cancer literature. What's even more terrifying is that AI has made it easier for bad actors to create convincing but entirely fabricated research.

Patients who claim to have done their own research often end up getting misinformation from online articles and self-proclaimed experts. These patients might be eager to help their doctors, but they can't distinguish between a legitimate study and a misleading blog post. And when the internet is full of such pseudoscience, it's no wonder cancer patients are turning to dubious remedies.

Fraudulent research affects us all, not just in terms of money spent on unnecessary treatments but also because patients who've wasted their time pursuing quack cures can't afford more extensive care. It's a vicious cycle that needs urgent attention.

The solution lies in better funding for genuine research, increased vigilance from reputable publishers, and greater public awareness about the scope of this problem. We need to empower patients with accurate information so they don't get duped by fake research. That way, when they do their own research – which I wholeheartedly support – it will be grounded in reality.

The bottom line is that we all benefit from honest research and must recognize that the stakes are higher than ever.

I mean, have you noticed how everything on the internet seems so true nowadays ? Like, just yesterday I saw a friend's cousin posting about some new cancer cure online and they were totally convinced it was legit . And then later that day, someone else posts saying it's fake and they're like "wait what?!" . It's crazy how easily we can get misled.

As for the whole fake research thing, I think it's wild that 400k papers are being churned out every decade . That's just insane! And AI making it easier to create convincing lies is super worrying . Patients need accurate info to make informed decisions, and if we can't trust what's online, we're all in trouble .

I think the solution is pretty straightforward – more funding for real research, better publishing standards, and educating people about this problem . We should be supporting genuine studies that help us understand actual diseases, not just quack remedies that are gonna waste our time (and money ). It's all about being aware of what's going on and separating fact from fiction .

I think its super concerning how easily misinformation can spread especially for cancer patients who already trust their docs. The idea of fake papers being churned out at 400,000 a decade is crazy I mean we need to protect these guys from getting duped by bad research. It's not just about money spent on unnecessary treatments, it's also about wasting people's time and health

We gotta make sure patients have access to accurate info so they can do their own research with confidence And the fact that AI is making it easier for fake research to go unnoticed is just a total bummer We need better funding for legit research, more scrutiny from publishers, and public awareness about this issue ASAP

I mean, can you even imagine what's going on in the world of research ? It's like a never-ending game of cat and mouse between legit scientists and fake ones. I've seen friends get burned by bad research before and it's just devastating . The fact that AI is making it easier for people to create convincing lies is wild . And patients, oh man... they're just getting taken advantage of . We need to do better, you know? More funding for real research, stricter publishing standards... it's all about empowering patients with the truth . But at the same time, I'm like "okay, let's not get too optimistic" . There are just so many players in this game now, and it's hard to know who to trust . We need a balanced approach here, you feel?

400k fake papers per decade? that's like having a entire library of fake books get published every 10 years. its not just cancer literature either, how many other fields have they been ruined in? AI making it easier for bad actors is just the cherry on top of this toxic mess. we cant even trust what we find online anymore... what kinda world are we living in

Can you believe some people think they can just fake a paper and get published? Like, do they really think the scientific community is just one big game of "let's see who can come up with the most ridiculous study"? I mean, come on, it's not that hard to fact-check your research (although I guess that's what fake researchers want you to think). Seriously though, this whole thing is a huge problem and needs to be taken seriously. Cancer patients are already struggling enough without getting misled by some quack researcher who can't even be bothered to do the basics of research. We need better funding for real research so these fake papers don't come out all over the place. And honestly, if you're gonna do your own research, at least have the decency to use credible sources.

Fake news in academia is a big deal . Can't believe how easy it's become to just churn out bad research with AI tools. Like, what's next? Fake Nobel Prizes? The problem's not just cancer research either, I've heard similar issues with climate change and other fields too. Need better funding for legit research and stricter vetting of publishers. Can't let pseudoscience ruin lives over the internet

it's crazy how fast the lines between fact and fiction get blurred nowadays , like what even happened to peer review, right? i mean, as someone who's spent years studying a pretty serious topic like cancer, it's devastating to see people getting misled into trying out dodgy treatments because of some sketchy online article or blog post. and yeah, AI making fake research look legit is just icing on the cake . we need better funding for real research, more transparency from publishers, and a serious dose of critical thinking skills taught in schools...or at least online . it's not just about saving money on unnecessary treatments, it's about people's lives being put at risk because they can't trust what they read online . we gotta do better

this is so worrying, 400k fake papers every decade is a huge number! cancer patients already have enough to deal with, the last thing they need is more misinformation. what's even crazier is how AI is making it easier for bad actors to spread their lies. we need to make sure that researchers are held accountable and that patients are getting accurate info. if we can get this right, it'll be a huge step forward.

The state of research these days is super concerning . It's like anyone can slap a paper together and claim they're an expert, but the truth is most of it is just BS . Patients get caught up in all this fake info and end up wasting their time and money on useless treatments . We need to take action and increase funding for legit research, and also make sure publishers are being more careful about who they let publish stuff . It's not just about the cancer literature, it's a bigger problem that affects everyone's health in the long run . If we don't address this, patients will keep getting duped and it's just going to get worse . We need to wake up and take control of our own health information .

The whole thing is just crazy... I mean, who tries to sell fake research like it's a business opportunity? It makes me so angry for patients like my own kid whose life was turned upside down by "treatments" based on junk science. And don't even get me started on the AI factor – that's just too much . We need to take action and protect people from these charlatans. I'm all for funding more real research, but we also need to teach patients how to spot a fake study . It's not just about them, though – it affects us all with our taxes paying for these unnecessary treatments .

this is getting crazy how fake research is taking over its like we cant even trust what were reading online anymore, my cousin got scammed into some cancer treatment because of some dodgy blog post ugh. we need to get serious about funding real research and being more vigilant with our publishers, it's not just patients who are getting hurt, its also the economy and science as a whole

omg this is crazy , i mean i knew fake research was a thing but 400k papers per decade? thats wild , and you're right patients can get so caught up in online info they end up getting misinformed , like what if the treatment they try ends up killing them? we need to do better

I'M SO TIRED OF THESE FAKE RESEARCH STUDIES THAT ARE OUT THERE!!! it's like they think they can just make up anything and get away with it... newsflash: WE'RE NOT BUYING IT!!! cancer patients are already dealing with enough, they don't need some made-up study telling them that this miracle cure is going to save their lives. and let's not forget about the money wasted on all these quack remedies... it's just so frustrating! we need to get our act together and make sure that real research is getting the funding it deserves.

Did you know that 2023 saw a 300% increase in fake cancer research? That's roughly 150,000 papers that got published with fabricated data! According to a study by the University of California, one out of five studies on social media is likely to be false. Meanwhile, Google gets over 100 million searches for 'alternative cures' every month - most of which are scams. The problem is huge and it's getting worse due to AI-generated fake research. We need to get our facts straight ASAP or else patients will continue to suffer.

Here's a stat that'll blow your mind: 60% of online medical information is incorrect or outdated! What's even more alarming is that 75% of people rely on the internet for health info, which means we're all just one bad source away from disaster. We need to invest in real research and educate the public on how to spot fake news.

In 2024, over 400,000 papers were retracted due to plagiarism and misconduct! Can you believe that? And it's getting worse because AI is making it easier for bad actors to create convincing but entirely fabricated research. We need to act fast or else we'll lose trust in the entire scientific community.

I'm not a fan of the idea that people should 'do their own research' - after all, they're often misinformed and can get duped by fake news. Instead, we need better funding for real research and more vigilance from reputable publishers. That way, when patients do want to learn about their condition, they'll have access to accurate information that's been vetted by experts.

I mean, come on, 400k fake papers every decade? That's just crazy . And now AI makes it even easier for people to churn out bogus research? It's like they're playing a game of "Fake News" . Patients are already stressed enough with cancer treatment, the last thing they need is some quack cure that's been disproven years ago.

And what really gets me is how easy it is for these bad actors to get away with it. Reputable publishers just need to step up their game and make sure the research they publish is legit . And yeah, funding for genuine research is key too - we can't keep throwing money at fake studies.

It's time to give patients some real information so they can make informed decisions about their own health . We need to take down these charlatans and make sure the research we do is actually doing some good .

I'm worried about the state of research out there . It's crazy to think 400,000 fake papers are being churned out every decade . I get why researchers want to publish ASAP – it's a big deal to be recognized in their field – but come on, we need more emphasis on quality over quantity .

And yeah, AI has made it super easy for scammers to create convincing fake research . But here's the thing: patients are getting duped and wasting their time (and $$$) on quack cures . We need better funding for real research and more scrutiny from publishers to weed out the fakes .

It's not all doom and gloom, though . If we can get accurate info out there, patients can make informed decisions and avoid a lot of unnecessary stress . Let's hope we can get some serious changes made soon .

I think its pretty wild how fake research can spread so fast online . Like, I've seen patients on forums talking about some new "breakthrough" treatment for cancer, but when you dig deeper, its just some dude with a blog claiming to have done research . Its not just the money wasted, its also the risk of people trying out super experimental or toxic treatments that could actually harm them .

I think its great that we need more funding for real research and better vetting by publishers . But at the same time, I also feel like patients have to take responsibility for their own health information . We can't just rely on our doctors to tell us everything – we need to be empowered to make our own decisions, but with accurate info .

Its a tough balancing act, but I think thats what makes this issue so frustrating . There are so many people who genuinely care about research and patients, but the system is still broken . We need to keep pushing for change until we get it right .

I'm telling you, this is just the tip of the iceberg . Have you noticed how every study on cancer comes out saying something new, like vaccines cause cancer or whatever? It's all part of a larger agenda to control our minds and bodies . And don't even get me started on AI – it's not as smart as everyone thinks . I mean, what if the AI is being manipulated by the same people behind fake research? It's like they're creating their own reality TV show . We need to wake up and realize that there's a big conspiracy at play here . The media, governments, and corporations are all in on it together . Mark my words, this is just the beginning of a wild ride .

this is a big deal, fake research can literally kill people, i'm not saying everyone who tries to publish is a fake, but the system needs to be more transparent . we need more funding for real research and better fact-checking, also patients need to be more critical of what they read online . it's like, if you wanna help your doctor, do some actual research before spouting off about cancer cures