At the 10th Peer Review Congress in September 2025, the Drummond Rennie Lecture delivered a powerful message: authorship in academia is more than a currency of recognition—it is a responsibility. The lecture, titled "Forward to the Past—Making Contributors Accountable," emphasized that authorship carries ethical and legal implications, demanding transparency and accountability from all research contributors.
"Authorship is the currency of academia and research, but it is not only about recognition. It brings accountability and transparency and can have ethical and legal implications."
The session, now available on the Peer Review Congress YouTube channel, challenges researchers and institutions to revisit the fundamentals of contributor accountability, urging a shift back to rigorous standards that ensure every named author truly stands behind the work.