Lessons learnt on transparency, scientific process and publication ethics. The short story of a long journey to get into the public domain unpublished data, methodological flaws and bias of the Cochrane HPV vaccines review

Ref ID 709
First Author C. Riva
Journal BMJ EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE
Year Of Publishing 2019
URL https://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjebm-2018-111119
Keywords Cochrane
Risk of bias
Subgroup
Disclosure
General medical
Problem(s) Meta-analyses and forest plots presented without considering risk of bias / quality
Unplanned or unjustified subgroup or sensitivity analyses
Flawed risk of bias undertaken
Risk of bias not incorporated into conclusions of review
Financial conflicts of interest of review authors
Number of systematic reviews included 1
Summary of Findings Concerns included: studies’ quality not properly assessed; post hoc subgroup analyses presented as randomised controlled trial results; reporting bias not acknowledged; selective reporting not taken into consideration; biased trial designs; unpublished data not included; conflict of interests in the authors’ group; included studies for interventions no longer marketed in the USA
Did the article find that the problem(s) led to qualitative changes in interpretation of the results? Not Applicable
Are the methods of the article described in enough detail to replicate the study?