The Story of a Cochrane Disaster
Author Information
Author(s): Gunther Eysenbach, Per Egil Kummervold, Lee Ritterband
Primary Institution: Centre for Global eHealth Innovation, University of Toronto
Conclusion
The editorial discusses the flaws in a Cochrane systematic review on interactive health communication applications and the subsequent media misrepresentation and retraction of the review.
Supporting Evidence
- The Cochrane review was retracted after only 13 days due to significant errors.
- Media coverage of the flawed review was extensive, while the retraction received little attention.
- The editorial argues for ethical responsibilities in correcting misinformation in health reporting.
Takeaway
A flawed health study was widely reported in the media, causing panic, but when it was retracted, hardly anyone noticed. It's important for corrections to be as publicized as the original mistakes.
Potential Biases
The editorial discusses potential biases in the original review and the media's sensationalist reporting.
Limitations
The editorial highlights the lack of media coverage on the retraction and the ethical obligations of researchers and journalists in correcting misinformation.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website