{"id":4283,"date":"2025-05-01T14:34:26","date_gmt":"2025-05-01T20:34:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/?p=4283"},"modified":"2025-09-20T19:05:22","modified_gmt":"2025-09-21T01:05:22","slug":"publication-overachievers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/2025\/05\/01\/4283\/publication-overachievers\/","title":{"rendered":"PUBLICATION OVERACHIEVERS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/PUB-OVERACHIEVERS-SLIDER.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"530\" height=\"149\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/PUB-OVERACHIEVERS-SLIDER.jpg?resize=530%2C149&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4286\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/PUB-OVERACHIEVERS-SLIDER.jpg?w=640&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/PUB-OVERACHIEVERS-SLIDER.jpg?resize=300%2C84&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 530px) 100vw, 530px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>With the average number of 6-7 authors per (clinical) publication and an increasing trend for multi-authored articles there are now plenty of opportunities for industrious clinicians to publish.&nbsp; Here are just a few examples of super-achievers from the Infectious Disease space:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cHe authored more than 500 original papers, 330 book chapters, and 14 books\u201d<a href=\"#_ftn1\" id=\"_ftnref1\">[1]<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cHe published 548 peer-reviewed papers; 178 book chapters, editorials, and other commentaries; and 29 books and journal supplements\u201d<a href=\"#_ftn2\" id=\"_ftnref2\">[2]<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>According to SciSpace, he coauthored 509 papers<a href=\"#_ftn3\" id=\"_ftnref3\">[3]<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>By simple math, we can see that these gentlemen publish on average 1 piece every 2-3 weeks over many decades.&nbsp; This has raised concerns over what is too much, as to many this seems to be excessive productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reviews of the overproductive \/ hyperprolific author output describe it as an outlier phenomenon that needs to be reigned in by imposing stricter standards esp. for co-authorship.&nbsp; But this is absurd.&nbsp; We seem to be dealing with a narcissistic personality trait which craves recognition, likes the spotlight, and trades zealous productivity for promotional gains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this crazy pursuit for more and faster publication, we would like to ask some cynical \/ rhetorical questions: Is this enough?\u00a0 Can one do better?\u00a0 What is the maximum number of publications humanly possible for an ambitious academician?\u00a0 And will AI in the future change this landscape making writing as fast as reading?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Inflationary tendencies in publication output is not new.&nbsp; There is ghost writing \u2018help\u2019 by company-paid professionals, gratuitous inclusion in other people\u2019s work, the tacit understanding that department head be included in the publication of younger team members, and duplication of work or serialization of monographs in the form of yearly updates.&nbsp; All this is legitimate work output; many journals now request details regarding the specific contribution of authors prior to publication.&nbsp; While it is hard to quantify \u2018mentorship\u2019 or intellectual contribution, the practice at many institutions is to give authorships to academics who have an interest in building their CVs. &nbsp;Clinical investigators at study sites that did well have routinely asked for inclusion in the list of authors, with a high chance of acceptance by study sponsors.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We are not talking about bad apples but legitimate publication work.&nbsp; Nonetheless, a high-profile case that points to the \u2018darker\u2019 side of the publication overachievers has come to light just recently. At National Institute on Aging (NIA), Eliezer Masliah, a top government employee and renowned research scientist, had to resign after an internal investigation discovered \u2018mistakes\u2019 in many of his publications<a href=\"#_ftn4\" id=\"_ftnref4\">[4]<\/a>.&nbsp; SciSpace mentions him as an author of 1015 papers, other sources speak of &gt;800 articles.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Iannidis et al. looked into the phenomenon of hyperprolific article producers.&nbsp; He found that about 30,000 people produced &gt;50 articles in any given year, and several are besting this output to 70<a href=\"#_ftn5\" id=\"_ftnref5\">[5]<\/a>.&nbsp; He mentions the important fact that selection for authorship is not uniformly standardized, with geographical and cultural variations.&nbsp; For instance, incentives to publish exist in some countries, and hierarchy may drive inclusion in the list of authors despite minimal actual \u2018contribution\u2019.&nbsp; The title of his article tells it all: \u2018Thousands of scientists publish a paper every five days\u2019.&nbsp; It just shows that there is no upper limit to productivity<a href=\"#_ftn6\" id=\"_ftnref6\">[6]<\/a>.&nbsp; Btw, he took care not to overcount by excluding minor publication products like presentations or abstracts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>We stand in awe of these leaders in the publication olympiad, their ability to connect and collaborate to amplify their resumes with articles is really impressive.&nbsp; These are true giants to emulate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>So let\u2019s do the math: Assuming 35 years of post-graduation publication output for the average clinician at an academic institution, working 50 weeks per year, this amounts to 1750 weeks to publish 1750 articles following the \u201c1 article every 5 day\u201d rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>High publication output is not just a trait of recognition-seeking individuals trying to meet and exceed the demands of institutional productivity requirements.&nbsp; There is a loud sucking sound coming from journals as well.&nbsp; Not a week goes by when we don\u2019t hear about a newly launched journal asking for articles to fill their pages, promising superfast review and turn-around times.&nbsp; The wheels are turning fast for mutual benefit: proliferation of articles and proliferation of journals go hand-in-hand.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We predict that AI can accelerate the publication cycle considerably.&nbsp; The record to break stands at approx. 1000 articles held by pre-AI researchers.&nbsp; Let\u2019s &nbsp;keep an eye out for the next Usain \u2018Masliah\u2019 Bolt publication champion.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">REFERENCES<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref1\" id=\"_ftn1\">[1]<\/a> Quinn. A tribute to John G. Bartlett, MD (1937\u20132021).&nbsp; J Clin Invest. 2021;131(6):e148371<br \/><a href=\"#_ftnref2\" id=\"_ftn2\">[2]<\/a> In memory: world STD research pioneer Dr. King Holmes.&nbsp; <a href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.uw.edu\/news-releases\/in-memory-world-std-research-pioneer-dr-king-holmes\">https:\/\/newsroom.uw.edu\/news-releases\/in-memory-world-std-research-pioneer-dr-king-holmes<\/a> (accessed 4\/29\/2025)<br \/><a href=\"#_ftnref3\" id=\"_ftn3\">[3]<\/a> https:\/\/scispace.com\/authors\/jack-d-sobel-5gcs9r7ke0<br \/><a href=\"#_ftnref4\" id=\"_ftn4\">[4]<\/a> See https:\/\/www.science.org\/content\/article\/research-misconduct-finding-neuroscientist-eliezer-masliah-papers-under-suspicion<br \/><a href=\"#_ftnref5\" id=\"_ftn5\">[5]<\/a> https:\/\/www.science.org\/content\/article\/some-scientists-publish-more-70-papers-year-here-s-how-and-why-they-do-it<br \/><a href=\"#_ftnref6\" id=\"_ftn6\">[6]<\/a> Ioannidis.&nbsp; Nature 561, 167-169 (2018)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With the average number of 6-7 authors per (clinical) publication and an increasing trend for multi-authored articles there are now plenty of opportunities for industrious clinicians to publish.&nbsp; Here are just a few examples of super-achievers from the Infectious Disease space: By simple math, we can see that these gentlemen <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/2025\/05\/01\/4283\/publication-overachievers\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  PUBLICATION OVERACHIEVERS<\/span><span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4286,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"everybody","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[227,3,18],"tags":[2177,1271,2176,2182,1583,2184,2181,2183,2178,2179,2175],"class_list":["post-4283","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-recent_literature","category-the_news","category-the_viewpoint","tag-ai","tag-allphase-pharma-consulting","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-eliezer-masliah","tag-harald-reinhart","tag-hyperprolific-author","tag-journal-proliferation","tag-overproductive-authors","tag-publication-fraud","tag-publication-output","tag-publication-overachievers"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/PUB-OVERACHIEVERS-SLIDER.jpg?fit=640%2C180&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4KWFr-175","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":228,"url":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/2014\/06\/03\/228\/and-the-results-are-pending\/","url_meta":{"origin":4283,"position":0},"title":"And the Results are \u2026Pending","author":"Harald","date":"June 3, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The website \u201cClinicalTrials.gov\u201d has become the first stop for many of us who need to check on trial activity of a particular drug.\u00a0 All larger human Phase 2 - 4 trials are listed there in quite some detail.\u00a0 While companies sometimes shy away from publishing full entry criteria or primary\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;The News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"The News","link":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/category\/the_news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4898,"url":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/2025\/08\/09\/4898\/journal-business-vs-editorial-oversight\/","url_meta":{"origin":4283,"position":1},"title":"JOURNAL BUSINESS vs EDITORIAL OVERSIGHT","author":"Harald","date":"August 9, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"New medical and science journals pop up in our mailbox on a biweekly basis.\u00a0 Offers to join as Editor, solicitation for articles based on past publications, invitations for subject reviews come as unsolicited emails.\u00a0 Medical publication houses, old and new, are expanding, adding more and more subspecialties to their established\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Did you know...?&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Did you know...?","link":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/category\/interesting_facts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-8.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-8.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-8.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":771,"url":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/2014\/08\/28\/771\/following-the-publication-trail-of-two-rsv-drugs\/","url_meta":{"origin":4283,"position":2},"title":"Following The Publication Trail of Two RSV Drugs","author":"Harald","date":"August 28, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"In a publication from 2007, investigators from Arrow Pharmaceuticals told us that A-60444 (later renamed to\u00a0RSV-604) was already in Phase 2.\u00a0 Since then, it has been very quiet about this compound.\u00a0 Some have suggested that Novartis has stopped development [1], an impression supported by the fact that the drug is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;The News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"The News","link":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/category\/the_news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"RSV from Ref. [6]","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/rsv.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2246,"url":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/2016\/01\/21\/2246\/ibuprofen-for-uuti-part-2-antibiotic-or-nsaid-or-both-or-neither\/","url_meta":{"origin":4283,"position":3},"title":"Ibuprofen for uUTI (Part 2): Antibiotic or NSAID? Or Both? Or Neither?","author":"Harald","date":"January 21, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"While the news is\u00a0abuzz with reports of Zika virus coming to a place near you, an interesting article on a much more mundane topic \u2013 the treatment of uncomplicated UTIs \u2013 should be\u00a0competing for your attention. It is a\u00a0publication we have been\u00a0waiting for, as mentioned in an earlier blog. Results\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Recent Literature&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Recent Literature","link":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/category\/recent_literature\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"ibuprofen fosfomycin - slider copy","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/ibuprofen-fosfomycin-slider-copy.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/ibuprofen-fosfomycin-slider-copy.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/ibuprofen-fosfomycin-slider-copy.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2271,"url":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/2016\/01\/31\/2271\/moving-towards-greater-transparency-one-step-at-a-time-inexorably\/","url_meta":{"origin":4283,"position":4},"title":"Moving Towards Greater Transparency \u2013 One Step At A Time, Inexorably","author":"Harald","date":"January 31, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Sharing trial data has been a controversial topic for quite a while. Recently the editors of major medical journals decided to take a stand. They will\u00a0make access to trial source data a requirement, as a condition of publication, arguing that patients and the scientific community have a right to this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Recent Literature&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Recent Literature","link":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/category\/recent_literature\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Cleaning Up - slider","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Cleaning-Up-slider.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Cleaning-Up-slider.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Cleaning-Up-slider.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2892,"url":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/2016\/11\/14\/2892\/inconclusive-data-in-ia-experts-fill-the-void-to-avoid-horror-vacui\/","url_meta":{"origin":4283,"position":5},"title":"Inconclusive Data in IA: Experts Fill the Void To Avoid Horror Vacui","author":"Harald","date":"November 14, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Often we come across a study which raises more questions than it answers.\u00a0 Sometimes we read a study publication again and again, and still we cannot figure out what the take-away learning is, as results are simply inconclusive or discordant. Occasionally we encounter studies with results that are so counterintuitive\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Recent Literature&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Recent Literature","link":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/category\/recent_literature\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"ia-blog-header","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/IA-blog-header.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/IA-blog-header.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/IA-blog-header.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4283","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4283"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4283\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4406,"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4283\/revisions\/4406"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4286"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4283"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4283"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4283"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}