A 2020 paper on hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 treatment has been retracted due to major scientific flaws and ethics concerns. The study, published in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, claimed that hydroxychloroquine reduced virus levels in COVID-19 patients and was effective when used with azithromycin.
However, scientists immediately raised concerns about the paper’s small sample size and unusually short peer-review time. An investigation found that six patients who received hydroxychloroquine were dropped from the study, potentially skewing the results. Larger trials later showed that hydroxychloroquine did not benefit COVID-19 patients.
Critics pointed out more problems with the study, including differences in testing cutoffs and potential conflicts of interest among authors. The journal’s editor-in-chief was also accused of an editorial conflict of interest.
The retraction notice states that the paper was retracted due to ethics issues and concerns raised by authors themselves about methodology and conclusions. The French Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics called the study “the cornerstone” of a scandal that led millions of people to take hydroxychloroquine unnecessarily, endangering patients who experienced side effects.
The society emphasized the importance of rigorous clinical trials in medicine, saying that prescribing medicines without solid proof can be unacceptable and harmful. The retraction serves as a reminder of the need to prioritize patient safety and follow established principles of medicine.
Source: https://www.science.org/content/article/infamous-paper-popularized-unproven-covid-19-treatment-finally-retracted