LAUSR

Scientific misconduct is not new and neither is there any evidence that it is on the increase, despite an apparent increase in the number of retractions over the last ten years [1]. However, a recent spate of high-profile cases involving anaesthetists has firmly turned the spotlight onto our profession [2]. Anaesthesia has been and remains at the forefront of this fight against individuals and groups who bring our profession in particular and science in general into disrepute [3]. This issue of the journal contains an analysis of 32 randomised controlled trials published from 1993 to 2012 in nine anaesthetic journals [4]. This demonstrates clearly that there is a high probability that the data in these trials are not consistent with random sampling; in other words, that the studies warrant further urgent investigation.