A national survey of knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding publication ethics standards among the members of research ethics committees of Iranian Universities of Medical Sciences

Evaluating the performance of research ethics committees provides valuable data that can enhance their effectiveness. This survey assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning the publication ethics standards among the members of these committees in Iranian universities of medical sciences, where RECs are legally responsible for assessment of research misconduct in addition to reviewing research proposals. A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 240 members of Research Ethics Committees from Iranian universities of medical sciences. The survey assessed knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding publication ethics standards. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and statistical tests. The study revealed that the overall knowledge of Research Ethics Committee (REC) members regarding publication ethics standards was moderate, with an average score of 51.91%. Ethics experts demonstrated the highest level of knowledge (0.69), followed by methodologists (0.68) and researchers (0.64), while clerics and lawyers exhibited the lowest scores. Prior ethics training significantly enhanced knowledge, attitudes, and practices, indicating that training is a critical factor in improving ethical competencies. Members demonstrated stronger adherence to standards related to authorship criteria and responsibilities but exhibited limited understanding of conflict of interest and organizational affiliation standards. Moderate correlations were observed between knowledge, attitudes, and practices, suggesting that improving knowledge through targeted training may positively influence attitudes and ethical practices. The survey raises serious concerns about the knowledge of REC members in this area, especially considering that, RECs are responsible for assessing research misconduct, which often includes issues related to publication ethics.