Scientific integrity, a guarantee of the reliability of science and research

Research work, whatever the discipline, is based on standards that are mainly set by scientific communities. If they are to contribute to the existing body of knowledge through reliable contributions, it is essential that they be conducted with rigor and honesty. The standards inherent in the practice of research thus correspond to methodological requirements, rigorous analysis, transparency about the stages of the process and good dissemination and communication practices, particularly in terms of the quality of media, peer review and recognition of contributions. Compliance with these requirements is a prerequisite for public confidence in researchers and the results of their work.

Scientific integrity has been the subject of increasing attention since the early 1980s, not so much as a part of epistemology as an object of reflection and action in its own right. On the one hand, because beyond the major common principles, the practices and methodologies specific to each discipline are in perpetual evolution, constituting an interesting subject for study. Secondly, because research activities are integrated into increasingly competitive, globalized academic systems, within which – as underlined by the Hong Kong principles in 2019 – evaluation and recognition practices still place too much emphasis on criteria of the supposed impact of research, to the detriment of the criterion of its rigor . Finally, because the exposure and even mediatization of cases of scientific fraud have begun to pose a growing threat to the trust established between research communities and the other components of society. As Pierre Corvol reminds us, scientific dishonesty and fraud have serious societal consequences: in addition to circulating erroneous results, they risk casting lasting suspicion on the very nature of the aims and contribution of research. Public authorities have identified the need to intervene to encourage the deployment and implementation of scientific integrity policies, as well as mechanisms to deal with any breaches of integrity. The proliferation of such initiatives around the world has gradually led to the formalization of common and accepted principles of "responsible research".

In the United States, when the revelation of cases of fraud and conflicts of interest in publicly-funded research led to scientific events – conferences on scientific integrity, the launch of the journal Accountability in Research – and policies, in particular the legal obligation for the main funder of biomedical research to define recommendations on scientific integrity. In...