A study claiming that a cheap malaria drug could treat COVID-19 has been retracted, more than four-and-a-half years after its publication. The paper, which received over 3,400 citations, was widely cited as evidence for the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in treating the disease.
Researchers and experts had long criticized the study, citing concerns over data quality, ethics approval, and methodological issues. One of the researchers, Didier Raoult, a French microbiologist, has been particularly criticized due to his involvement in numerous studies that have raised ethical concerns.
The retraction was prompted by an investigation into the study’s methods, which found significant flaws, including a lack of clarity over ethics approval and potential confounding differences between control and treatment groups. The study’s authors had previously expressed doubts about their own work, but ultimately were not able to establish equipoise in the trial.
Elisabeth Bik, an image-forensics specialist, welcomed the retraction, saying “This paper should never have been published — or it should have been retracted immediately after its publication.” Ole Søgaard, an infectious-disease physician, noted that the study’s haste and lack of adherence to scientific standards had contributed to a delay in the development of effective COVID-19 treatments.
The retraction is significant, as it marks the 28th retraction for Raoult, who has retired due to ongoing investigations into his research. The paper’s retraction also highlights the importance of rigorous scientific standards and transparent peer review in ensuring the integrity of medical research.
Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-04014-9