livia puljak

Livia Puljak is a full, tenured professor at the Catholic University of Croatia, and the Head of its Center for Evidence-Based Medicine and Healthcare. Her research interests include research methodology, evidence-based medicine, and clinical epidemiology. She has published more than 300 articles in international peer-reviewed journals and mentored more than 60 defended diploma, Master, and PhD theses. She was the inaugural director of Cochrane Croatia. She was listed among the 2% of researchers with the highest citation impact in the world each year since 2020.

Lost in publication: a journey through questionable evidence

The credibility of scientific research depends on its reproducibility, transparency, and methodological rigor. However, numerous studies across disciplines have highlighted pervasive challenges in these areas, including incomplete reporting, outcome switching, lack of protocol registration, and insufficient data sharing. These issues undermine the reliability of findings, hinder evidence synthesis, and contribute to research waste.

This lecture will explore the scope and consequences of the reproducibility crisis, with a particular focus on biomedical and health research. Drawing on systematic reviews and meta-research analyses, it will highlight how deficiencies in study design, data management, and reporting standards affect research quality. Emphasis will be placed on the role of preregistration, adherence to reporting guidelines, and the adoption of FAIR data principles in enhancing transparency.

The lecture will also present practical strategies for improving research practices, including educational interventions, institutional policies, and open science tools that promote trustworthy, high-quality research. By critically examining current standards and proposing paths forward, the lecture encourages researchers to move beyond the “publish or perish” mindset and towards a culture of credible, reproducible science. 

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