PAPER RETRACTION - A GROWING SUPPRESSION OF MEDICAL RESEARCH ON VACCINES
- Ety Elisha, Israel
Abstract
Background and Aims
To date, the official position is that vaccines by large are safe and effective and are essential to reduce the prevalence of severe morbidity and death from infectious diseases, stressing that adverse reactions are rare and marginal compared to their benefits. In light of this, individuals, researchers or doctors who are perceived as challenging this position might be subject to various suppressing actions taken against them as a means of silencing vaccination dissent. It seems that the struggle over this issue has recently escalated, following the WHO's announcement of vaccine hesitancy as one of the 10 most significant threats to global health. One alleged means for silencing vaccine critics is retracting papers that raise questions regarding the safety of vaccines after their initial acceptance for publication. Suppressing individuals who challenge the mainstream position violates the notion of "good science" and adversely affects public trust in science in general and medicine in particular. The purpose of our study is to explore and expose various types of alleged criminal behaviors in the field of immunization, carried out by stakeholder organizations, individuals and journals. We will present preliminary insights into the process of paper retractions and its supposed causes and motives, allegedly scientific or criminal.
Methods
Qualitative research based on interviews with researchers whose papers on vaccine have been retracted from the journal after first was publication
Results
The study is still in progress, preliminary findings will be presented at the conferecne.
Conclusions
The study is still in progress, preliminary conclusions will be presented at the conference.