[Correspondence] Research integrity is undoubtedly in crisis

Richard Horton's view that there is not a research integrity crisis1 contradicts the initiation of the Lancet Commission on Research Integrity, which states “There is clearly a crisis in research integrity that needs urgent action.”2 This divergence might be because Horton focuses on researcher misconduct, a relatively small contributor to compromised publication integrity, when other explanations are more commonly at play. This misstep shifts focus from the question most important to the scientific community and the public—is the research reliable—to the less important secondary one—why is it unreliable? Focusing primarily on the reliability of research will improve the consistency and timeliness of resolution of concerns about publication integrity.