More than four years after publication, a study promoting hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as a COVID-19 treatment has been retracted due to ethical concerns and questionable research conduct. The paper, highly cited despite numerous criticisms regarding data quality and methodology, fueled widespread HCQ hype, delaying the development of effective COVID-19 treatments. The retraction follows investigations revealing ethical protocol violations and a lack of equipoise in the study. This highly-cited, ultimately flawed study underscores the importance of rigorous scientific standards and ethical oversight in medical research, particularly during public health crises.
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Journal pulls scientific paper that popularized hydroxychloroquine as COVID-19 treatment. The retraction notice from Elsevier, the journal’s publisher, cited concerns about the paper’s adherence to publishing ethics policies and the proper conduct of research involving human participants. Three of the authors themselves also raised concerns about the study’s methodology and conclusions. The paper remains on the journal’s website, but is clearly marked as “Retracted.”
This retraction is a significant development, addressing a serious issue that caused considerable harm. The paper’s popularity contributed to the spread of misinformation and fueled dangerous conspiracy theories surrounding hydroxychloroquine’s effectiveness against COVID-19. The consequences were far-reaching, resulting in unnecessary deaths and shortages of the drug for those who legitimately required it for other conditions.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood