Exclusive: Medical student in Nepal behind busy research factory - Retraction Watch

What the report says

Retraction Watch reports that Raghabendra Kumar Mahato, a second-year medical student in Nepal, is central to a large international research network called the Global Clinical Research Consortium. According to messages and posts reviewed by the outlet, the WhatsApp-based group has nearly 1,000 members and rapidly produces medical conference abstracts and journal papers, including systematic reviews, meta-analyses, case reports and database studies.

The report says some of the group’s work has been accepted for presentation by major medical societies, including the American Heart Association and the European Society for Medical Oncology, and has appeared in journals from large publishers. Retraction Watch says messages it reviewed showed calls for presenters and coauthors, including offers of authorship to people able to present work in person or use publication-fee waivers. The outlet said it found no indication that Mahato sold authorship for money.

Mahato, who Retraction Watch says has more than 100 publications, denied that authorship was exchanged only for conference presentation and rejected the description of the organization as a paper mill. He told the outlet presenters were expected to contribute academically, including by reviewing content, checking conference guidelines and participating in data curation where appropriate. He said the group’s aim is collaborative research involving people with different expertise.

Retraction Watch also reported that ESMO and AHA confirmed abstracts coauthored by Mahato had been accepted and said they were reviewing the matter after the outlet’s inquiry. The story places the case in the broader context of publication pressure on medical students and junior doctors, especially those seeking competitive career opportunities, and concerns that high-volume, template-like research can burden peer review and weaken the link between authorship and meaningful scientific work.