Gerontologists combating fraudulent research participants: recommendations from design to dissemination

Abstract

This article provides comprehensive guidance for gerontological researchers on preventing and identifying fraudulent research participants—from study design through dissemination. Drawing from our own experiences with identified fraudulent participants, we highlight the complex and often financially motivated nature of participant misrepresentation. These experiences inform our broad recommendations for researchers, funding bodies, and academic institutions, emphasizing protocol design focused on early detection of fraudulent participants including verification processes and proactive measures to uphold study integrity. Key recommendations include requiring a fraudulent participant detection plan in grant applications, training peer reviewers and research teams, and implementing regular data checks. We also discuss the importance of collaboration with Institutional Review Board representatives, funders, universities, and professional organizations who uphold scientific integrity of research accompanied by the dissemination of experiences to educate the scientific community. By normalizing the expectation of fraud and addressing it at multiple levels, we aim to enhance the reliability and trustworthiness of gerontological research. This article serves as a valuable resource for researchers to safeguard their studies against fraudulent activities and maintain the credibility of their data.