Science is retracting the 2009 chronic fatigue syndrome paper by Judy Mikovits and her colleagues that ostensibly linked the syndrome to XMRV infection, the journal announced. The paper was partially retracted in the fall, and Science had issued an "Editorial Expression of Concern" regarding the paper earlier this spring. The partial retraction cited contaminated samples, while the expression of concern noted that the work could not be reproduced.
The new, full retraction, which will appear in tomorrow's issue of Science, says:
Science Editor-in-chief Bruce Alberts also notes that the paper is being retracted editorially, as the study authors could not agree on how to word their own retraction statement.
Mikovits is also facing legal issues surrounding her work.