Journal retracts cervical cancer survival study over data and ethics concerns

Editors at BMC Women’s Health have retracted a 2023 study that used a Bayesian approach to assess the survival time of outpatients with cervical cancer at the University of Gondar referral hospital. The retraction notice was published on 24 October 2026.

According to the notice, concerns were raised after publication regarding the authors’ affiliations, the omission of a supervisor who should have been included as an author, the use of ethical clearance obtained from an unauthorized body, and potential concerns about the authenticity and reliability of the reported data.

When asked to respond, the authors acknowledged that they had omitted their supervisor from the author list and confirmed that they had not listed an affiliation with the University of Gondar, where the research was conducted.

The Editors stated that the authors were unable to provide a satisfactory explanation regarding the data concerns and could not supply documentation of valid ethics approval. The Editors therefore concluded that they no longer have confidence in the reliability of the content of the article.

The original article was published on 10 February 2023 in BMC Women’s Health, volume 23, article number 59, and the retraction note appears as volume 26, article number 553 of the same journal.

The retraction notice also records the authors’ responses. Chekol Alemu and Buzuneh Tasfa disagree with the retraction and its wording. Chalachew Gashu agrees with the retraction but not with the wording of the retraction notice. Yoseph Kassa disagrees with the retraction.

The retraction means that the study’s findings on survival time among cervical cancer outpatients should no longer be relied upon or cited as reliable research.

Subject of Research: Retraction of a study on survival time of cervical cancer outpatients at a referral hospital in Ethiopia

Article Title: Retraction Note: Assessing survival time of outpatients with cervical cancer: at the university of Gondar referral hospital using the Bayesian approach

Article References: Gashu, C., Tasfa, B., Alemu, C., & Kassa, Y. (2026). Retraction Note: Assessing survival time of outpatients with cervical cancer: at the university of Gondar referral hospital using the Bayesian approach. BMC Women's Health, 26(1), Article 553. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-026-05036-3

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12905-026-05036-3

Keywords: retraction, BMC Women's Health, cervical cancer, survival time, University of Gondar, Bayesian analysis, research integrity, ethics approval, authorship, Ethiopia, Note, Assessing