Major bibliographic errors in PubMed: personal experience among 240 publications and proposed remediation process for errors

Abstract

Although substantial data exist on errors in bibliographic citations in journal articles [1], literature review reveals no data on errors in bibliographic citations in PubMed. Yet bibliographic errors in PubMed are much more important than errors in individual journals. PubMed is a ubiquitous literature search engine. Errors in PubMed could render articles inaccessible to researchers or clinicians performing computerized literature searches.

Although substantial data exist on errors in bibliographic citations in journal articles [1], literature review reveals no data on errors in bibliographic citations in PubMed. Yet bibliographic errors in PubMed are much more important than errors in individual journals. PubMed is a ubiquitous literature search engine. Errors in PubMed could render articles inaccessible to researchers or clinicians performing computerized literature searches.

Despite major contributions to academic medicine, the National Library of Medicine (NLM), like any human institution, is subject to errors, including errors in PubMed. Major errors are herein defined as incorrectly spelling authors' names, deleting authors' names, making mistakes in keywords in article titles, or making mistakes in journal volume, issue, or page numbers. Review of my 240 articles cited in PubMed, 1982-2015, revealed 3 major errors (1.25% rate). The 3 errors comprised misspelling of surnames of authors in 2 cases and deletion of all authors in 1 case [2, 3].

When called about this last error, the PubMed representative said the error was in a reference listed as "in process" and would be corrected during a systematic reference verification. The verified (corrected) reference would then be listed without the "in process" designation. However, this reference verification process can require considerable time. One reference for an article I coauthored was still not verified more than one year after the initial listing of the publication [4].

The following suggestions may be useful. First, PubMed should warn during every literature search that references listed as "PubMed-in process" are preliminary and subject to errors. Second, if contacted about an error, PubMed should expeditiously mark this reference as "reference accuracy is contested". Third, PubMed should commit to correcting any error less than four weeks after notification.

This work received an exemption/approval from the Institutional Review Board of William Beaumont Hospital on May 7, 2015.

References

REFERENCES

1. Hansen ME, McIntire DD. Reference citations in radiology: accuracy and appropriateness of use in two major journals. Am J Roentgenol (AJR). 1994;163:719-23. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2214/ajr.163.3.8079876.

2. [Incorrect listing in PubMed]: Cappell MS, Mogrovejo E, Manickam P, Polidsori G. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding associated with focal ulceration at the attachment base of a chronically retained endoscopic hemoclip. Minerva Gastroenterol Dietol. 2014 Dec;60(4): 285-7. PMID: 25384807. [cited 31 Jan 2015]. (corrected 11 Mar 2015).

Correct listing as published in journal: Cappell MS, Mogrovejo E, Manickam P, Polidori G. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding associated with focal ulceration at the attachment base of a chronically retained endoscopic hemoclip. Minerva Gastroenterol Dietol. 2014; Dec;60(4):285-7. PMID: 25384807.

3. [Incorrect listing in PubMed: No authors listed]: Case report of working with an institutional review board to approve a study on a particularly sensitive topic in a particularly vulnerable population: investigator negotiation and compromise may be the best strategy. Gastroenterol Nurs. 2015 Jan-Feb;38(1):62-3. DOI: http:// dx.doi.org/10.1097/SGA.0000000000000090. PMID: 25636014. [cited 10 Feb 2015]. (corrected 13 Mar 2015).

Correct listing as published in journal: Cappell MS. Case report of working with an institutional review board to approve a study on a particularly sensitive topic in a particularly vulnerable population: investigator negotiation and compromise may be the best strategy. Gastroenterol Nurs. 2015;Jan-Feb 38(1):62-3. DOI: http:// dx.doi.org/10.1097/SGA.0000000000000090. PMID: 25636014

4. Jaurigue MM, Cappell MS, Therapy for alcoholic liver disease [review]. World J Gastroenterol. 2014;Mar 7;20(9): 2143-58. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v20.i9.2143. PMID: 24605013 [PubMed-in process].

Listed as in process in PubMed when accessed March 11, 2015, more than one year after publication.