On the shoulders of giants

When Iain Chalmers identified a clear case of plagiarism in a research article he was planning to include in a systematic review he expected some action from those involved. He was to be disappointed. The journal that published the article and the author's university both urged cautious handling to avoid damaging a distinguished researcher's reputation. Fifteen years later Chalmers writes in this week's BMJ that he regrets acquiescing in this low key approach (p 594). The author, Asim Kurjak, was subsequently found to have committed a further act of plagiarism. In the continued absence of action from Kurjak's …