Research on geriatrics, pediatrics and infectious diseases are in advertisements on the internet

The co-authorship of scientific articles is being sold on social media for R$100, to earn points for the medical residency of medical students, which constitutes a crime of false identity. In the advertisements of the supposed company that sells the research, eleven spaces are offered for subscriptions to geriatrics works, and twelve for preventive medicine, pediatrics and infectious diseases.

Offers are made by PublicaInovamed on social media, allowing the amount to be paid in up to ten installments. Students would resort to purchasing articles, theoretically, to score in the stages beyond Enare, the National Residency Exam, which consist of an interview and CV presentation, including publication of articles.

Because of the sale, the Brazilian Medical Association (AMB) published a note last Friday (18), drawing attention to the risks and legal implications of purchasing articles, presentations or scientific productions. “This practice not only compromises ethics, but also puts the professional career of those who benefit from it at risk. This practice must be combated and widely denounced,” he stated.

In addition to the criminal consequences, for violating article 307 of the Brazilian Penal Code, the AMB also drew attention to ethical infractions. “Authenticity is an essential value that sustains trust in our profession and contributes to the advancement of medicine,” he commented.

The announcement of the articles was forwarded to the AMB legal department, and remains under evaluation for the possibility of taking legal action in the case.

The president of AMB, Cesar Fernandes, in a speech, stated that the articles sought are not the main point evaluated in the residency exams. “Of course, the CV as a whole counts, it is analyzed during interviews, but it is not decisive”, he commented.

For him, the most relevant points are the student’s history, worldview, medicine and residence that he has. “It is dishonorable for us doctors that something like this could spark the interest of a young doctor or a medical student. This is shameful and criminal,” he said.

“I’m really hoping that the young doctor doesn’t get excited about something as shameful as this proposal to participate in an article without him having any contribution of merit that would justify his co-authorship”, he added.