Indonesian researchers accused of falsifying research at international conference

Indonesia's research ecosystem is under scrutiny following allegations that several Indonesian citizens falsified research at the International Society of Pneumonia and Pneumococcal Diseases (ISPPD) 2026 conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, held from May 17-21, 2026. Two individuals, Prihantini and Rifaldy Fajar, both alumni of Yogyakarta State University, are reportedly involved in academic ethical violations.

The alleged research falsification was first brought to light by epidemiologist Wa Ode Dwi Daningrat, who attended the conference representing Oxford University. Daningrat claims she witnessed Prihantini, who was presenting research, switch her name tag from Riana Dwi Kurniawati to Dimas Fajar Prasetyo, one of the listed authors of the research, just before going on stage.

Following the presentation, Daningrat questioned Prihantini about the research, which was attributed to five authors: Prihantini as lead author, Dimas Fajar Prasetyo, Aminatus Sa’adah, Riana Dwi Kurniati, and Rivaldy Fajar as team leader. Daningrat stated that Prihantini could not adequately explain the abstract or poster concerning the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PVC).

Under pressure, Prihantini reportedly admitted she was neither Dimas nor Riana. Furthermore, Daningrat suspects the abstract and poster contained fabricated data and may have been generated by AI, as achieving such perfect results without actual research would be impossible. Daningrat, along with Ida Bagus Mandhara Brasika, a lecturer pursuing a doctorate in Climate Mathematics at Exeter University, reported the alleged misconduct to the ISPPD 2026 organizing committee on May 19, 2026.

Consequently, on May 21, 2026, the ISPPD committee canceled the travel grant support for Prihantini's group. The incident gained significant traction after Daningrat and Brasika shared it on social media. Daningrat suspects that Prihantini and her associates aimed to obtain travel grants for the conference without conducting genuine research.