David Tuller: Trial By Error: More Letters About BMJ’s Flawed Pediatric Studies

[Andy]

This morning I sent three more e-mails alerting interested parties to my concerns about two BMJ studies of children with ME/CFS. When it comes to research, kids are already a vulnerable population, and those with a stigmatizing illness even more so. That’s why it is both surprising and troubling that BMJ appears to have little interest in addressing the ethical and/or methodological violations that Virology Blog has documented in these pediatric studies.

I first sent an e-mail to the executive board of the CFS/ME Research Collaborative. Given that the CMRC is likely to continue to play a role in both research and health policy going forward, I believe members of the organization’s leadership should be alerted to serious problems in high-profile studies about the illness, especially those involving children.

http://www.virology.ws/2018/06/11/trial-by-error-more-letters-about-bmjs-flawed-pediatric-studies/

 

[Invisible Woman]

@dave30th is already providing great value for money. Well worth every penny!

 

[Esther12]

I wonder if Bishop will respond. It pisses me off how she says so many good general things about the need to address problems with research, but then with CFS she ignores all the problems, and even helps White/Crawley's attempts to discredit their critics.

Thanks to David for all these.

I think that it's quite handy that these studies have quite 'simple' problems with them that can be focussed on in letters like this. Compared to PACE, this is more about a simple failure to follow quite clear rules.

I wonder if there's any benefit to cc'ing Groves? If not, could it work against us in anyway? I don't know, but just tend to be cautious with anything that could be taken out of context to seem like 'harassment' to the genteel members of the UK medical establishment.

 

[NelliePledge]

I don’t think trying to argue it is harassment would work @Esther12 its pretty standard to copy people into a letter that refers to them. And TG would no doubt be asked for her perspective by most of these folks anyway before they decide how to reply to DT so will get copies that way.

I think not responding by any of them would be a bad move as it just makes them look complicit in a conspiracy. Most likely replies will be some kind of brief non response. Defensive batting is the hallmark of the establishment cricket style. If DT keeps bowling though he’s going to hit someone’s wicket over.

 

[Sly Saint]

@dave30th

I have not gone into this in any great detail but was looking on the WHO ICTRP
http://www.who.int/ictrp/en/

Under trial registration orgs there is:
UK Research Integrity Office, Code of Practice for Research (3.7.13)

http://ukrio.org/sites/ukrio2/the_programme_of_work/live_document___code_of_practice_for_research/3_0_standards_for_organisations_and_researchers/3_7_research_involving_human_participants__human_material_or_personal_data.cfm

They have a get advice from tab with general contact info.

I noticed on the WHO site that the BMJ is on their list of publishers
http://www.who.int/ictrp/trial_reg/en/index2.html

don't know if these might provide other avenues for you to pursue(?)

http://www.ukrio.org/sites/ukrio2/t...icipants__human_material_or_personal_data.cfm