We, the Editor and Publisher of Gynecological Endocrinology, have retracted the following article:
Hatem Abu Hashim, Alaa Wafa & Mohamed El Rakhawy (2011) Combined metformin and clomiphene citrate versus highly purified FSH for ovulation induction in clomiphene-resistant PCOS women: a randomised controlled trial, Gynecological Endocrinology, 27:3, 190 196, DOI: 10.3109/09513590.2010.488771
We were recently made aware of significant concerns regarding the integrity of the data reported in the study, which was a part of Hatem Abu Hashim’s PhD thesis at Vrije Universeit Brussel (VUB). Both VUB and the Flemish Commission for Scientific Integrity (VCWI) investigated concerns with the PhD thesis and found violations of scientific integrity, and they recommended retraction of all articles included in the thesis due to evidence of potential fabrication. When approached for an explanation, the authors provided their response to the institutional investigation, but were unable to provide their original data for review. Given the findings of the above investigations and the fact that we have not been able to assess the original data, we have decided to retract the article. The authors do not agree with the retraction.
We have been informed in our decision-making by our editorial policies and COPE guidelines.
The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as ‘Retracted’.