Studies that Misled the World

Cochrane Grandees show their true colours

This one is not a study; it’s an editorial linked to the release of a Cochrane review. Not just any old Cochrane review, the one on Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses (A122 for short).  

The time is November 2020, a crucial time for what follows afterwards. The Cochrane reviewers finished the 4^th update in April 2020, so in a rapidly evolving global emergency, the review was delayed by 5 months, although the conclusions were the same as those of previous versions. Presumably, in the light of the editorial content, this was done to allow the Cochrane airways to be filled with “rapid reviews” including models and other non-evidence or low-quality evidence on the use of masks. Masks were of no interest to anyone until early 2020, but they became heavily politicised thanks to a few extremists and charlatan influencers. 

The fundamental problem with A122 (2020 and subsequent versions) is that it did not reach the “right” conclusions. Based only on…