[Plagiarism in publications by Dr. Andrzej Jendryczko].

The paper reviews the formal action taken by the Silesian Medical University (SMU) in Katowice, against a professor who mass-produced plagiarized papers over many years. Plagiarized publications were based on articles of other authors, published in the European and American medical journals. Over 40 papers written by Andrzej Jendryczko, PhD, a former professor of biochemistry at SMU were declared to be plagiarized. Most of these publications have been retracted from Polish and international medical databases (Medline) by the editors of the journals involved. Dr. Jendryczko resigned in March 1998 from the Czestochowa Polytechnic, where he was a professor and Deputy Director of the Institute. Disciplinary action against him has still not been taken, because he is on sick leave. Criticizing some formal steps taken by SMU, the author proposes to establish a national committee for scientific misconduct. This independent committee, should be able by law to supervise the investigation in all Polish cases in academia which are suspected of scientific fraud. The committee also should have the power to initiate and conduct the investigation.