Fix motivations, not rules

Regulatory checklists and publication mandates will not produce honest, reproducible science unless career incentives, reputational signals, and enforcement mechanisms align with truth‑seeking. Empirical examples — a high‑profile 2023 paper retraction, only ~45% of trials posting results, and 92% outcome‑switching in some fields — show compliance is low even when rules exist. — If true, policy should shift from adding rules toward redesigning incentives, accountability, and cultural norms in research institutions and journals — changing who benefits from honesty.