Welcome to the latest edition of Investigative Roundup, highlighting some of the best investigative reporting on healthcare each week.

A 'Shambolic' Medical Conference

A Nature reporter went inside a predatory medical conferenceopens in a new tab or window, an experience described in the investigation as "shambolic."

The reporter attended the "25th Global Nephrology, Urology and Kidney Failure Congress" alongside a postdoctoral researcher in molecular biology. It was supposed to be at a four-star hotel near London's Heathrow airport, but there was no conference signage.

Eventually, they found a "flustered" young organizer who said the nephrology congress was being held in conjunction with other events. The first two talks were about ophthalmology, and subsequent talks covered drug toxicity, dentistry, and antibiotics, Nature reported.

The event was supposed to run until 5:30 p.m., but it wrapped at 12:30 p.m., according to the investigation. "People who were supposed to give poster presentations -- including one who had shepherded hers on two flights -- left with their posters still wrapped," the article stated.

Nature reached out to conference organizer OMICS International, but didn't hear back.

Predatory conferences, which are similar to predatory journals, often draw attendees and speakers by promising to publish research or fulfill academic requirements for a fee, Nature reported. They often involve "weak or no peer review for presentations, poor organization, and a...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMibEFVX3lxTE5kZVp1OXFNZTVxbXlsbGhLTVVB...