The article examines the problems of integrity in sci-ence generated by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated with the accelerated publication of a huge number of scientific articles containing both reliable and wrong, false statements. Together with the coronavirus pandemic, there is also a «publication pandemic», which in some cases leads to infodemia. In such a situation, it is necessary to find a balance between the benefits of quick access to new scientific data and the threat of panic or the appearance of wrong clinical recommendations. Attention is drawn to the widespread publication in the pandemic of preprints of articles that have not passed the scientific review procedure. Both positive (open expert assessment) and negative aspects of using preprint services (trust issues and misinformation) have been identified. In the context of the problematization of scientific integrity, publications on the benefits of hydroxychloroquine and smoking for the treatment and prevention of coronavirus are analyzed. The concepts of «scientific fraud» and «research misconduct», including fabrication and falsification and leading to distortion of research data, are considered. Scientific integrity should include compliance with ethical and professional principles, values and practices in the process of scientific activity and the application of its results. It has been established that scientific and academic integrity are interdependent, which is easily traced in the biomedical literature and is very important for ensuring scientifically sound clinical practice and the safety of research participants. The crisis of scientific integrity that arose during the pandemic can be overcome by taking concrete measures to increase confidence in science and scientists, such as the formation of understanding of the scientific process in society and strict adherence by researchers to the principles of scientific integrity.
COVID-19 pandemic; «publication pandemic»; accelerated science; infodemia; scientific integrity.