Ethical principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence require that physicians strive to improve medical knowledge to improve patients' lives and avoid harmful or ineffective treatments. Publication serves critical processes in promoting the integrity and efficacy of the medical profession, and thereby in promoting patient wellbeing. Publication is a critical part of academic medicine, and sets scholarly work apart from the practice of medicine. Plagiarism violates ethical principles of nonmaleficence and justice. Authors have ethical obligations to be truthful regarding credit for the work and outcomes of research. Fabrication and falsification of data, plagiarism, misleading assignment of authorship and redundant publications all are detrimental to the mission of medical publication. Peer reviewers have obligations to be competent, fair, and balanced, and free of conflicts of interest in reviewing medical manuscripts. Journal editors have parallel responsibilities to assure accuracy in the medical literature.