Medical journals lack uniformity in reporting errors, and errors including those that may materially change the interpretation of data are frequent, according to a study published in The American Journal of Medicine.
Researchers evaluated error reports for articles published in 20 English-language general medicine and cardiovascular journals. A total of 557 articles were associated with error reports.
The study found that at least one major error, which materially altered data interpretation, in 24.2 percent of articles with error reports. Also, across all error reports, 51 percent were not corrected or the report did not specify whether a correction was made.
Increased vigilance by authors to prevent errata and consensus by journal editors on the format of reporting are warranted, noted the study authors.
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