Twelve years ago, The BMJ called for the release of raw trial data for the antiviral drug Tamiflu after it came to light that governments around the world had spent billions stockpiling antivirals that had not been shown to reduce the risk of influenza complications, hospital admission or death.
Now, The BMJ's editor in chief Kamran Abbasi, along with senior editor Peter Doshi and former editor in chief Fiona Godlee, warn that these errors are being repeated.
"Today, despite the global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, the participant level data underlying the trials for these new products remain inaccessible to doctors, researchers, and the public—and are likely to remain that way for years to come," they write. "This is morally indefensible for all trials, especially those involving major public health interventions."
They point out that Pfizer's pivotal COVID vaccine trial was funded by the company and designed, run, analysed and authored by Pfizer employees. The company and the contract research organisations that carried out the trial hold all the data, but Pfizer has indicated that it will not begin entertaining requests for trial data until May 2025.
medicalxpress.com
Now, The BMJ's editor in chief Kamran Abbasi, along with senior editor Peter Doshi and former editor in chief Fiona Godlee, warn that these errors are being repeated.
"Today, despite the global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, the participant level data underlying the trials for these new products remain inaccessible to doctors, researchers, and the public—and are likely to remain that way for years to come," they write. "This is morally indefensible for all trials, especially those involving major public health interventions."
They point out that Pfizer's pivotal COVID vaccine trial was funded by the company and designed, run, analysed and authored by Pfizer employees. The company and the contract research organisations that carried out the trial hold all the data, but Pfizer has indicated that it will not begin entertaining requests for trial data until May 2025.
BMJ editors call for COVID-19 vaccine and treatment data to be available for public scrutiny
Data on COVID-19 vaccines and treatments should be fully and immediately available for public scrutiny, argue editors at The BMJ today.
Tan, You're a busted flush every which way as the evidence and proof shows us.
gonna melt into flames
