For prestigious, peer-reviewed medical journals, the retraction of an article is an incredibly rare event. Last week, it happened twice: in The Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine. Both articles examined the effects of potential COVID-19 treatments and, following publication, had both an immediate and a significant influence on healthcare delivery in the United States.

The data, it turned out, was suspect at best and fraudulent at worst. With egg on their face, the editors of these journals faced a barrage of questions. Chief among them: How did this happen?

In episode 13 of Coronavirus: The Truth, co-hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr examine the contentious debate over the research of possible COVID-19 cures, along with the following subjects:

[00:48] What are the most important coronavirus news highlights from last week?   

[06:24] Why did two of the most prestigious medical journals to retract articles tied to coronavirus treatments?

[10:51] What does it mean that reports of child abuse are down during the pandemic? Will schools give in to pressures to reopen this fall?

[12:12] Will protesters, many marching in close proximity without masks, suffer higher rates of  coronavirus infections?

[15:08] With air travel picking up, what are risks for those choosing to fly? What’s the safest seat on an airplane?

[16:32] How optimistic should we be about an effective coronavirus treatment coming soon? What do “promising findings” really mean?  

[18:47] As the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement gains momentum, what is the nation learning about the populations most affected by the coronavirus?

[20:55] Few people in America’s heartland are wearing masks or social distancing. Why?

[23:38] As co-host of a podcast on the coronavirus, how’s Jeremy feeling about his son returning to daycare this week?

[25:16] Listener question: “What do we know now about how the coronavirus is transmitted and has the risk been overrated?”

[27:00] Listener question: “I can’t stand my kids not seeing their grandfather for another month. How can I minimize the risk of harming dad?”

This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms.

If you have coronavirus questions for the hosts, please visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn.  

*To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest.

The post #13: Can we trust scientific research in the era of COVID-19? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.