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 The short story of a long journey to get into the public domain unpublished data, methodological flaws and bias of the Cochrane HPV vaccines review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
• General medical
• Risk of bias
• Disclosure
• Subgroup
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
Article Type Editorial
Article Subtype Comment/letter
First Author Country Switzerland
Aim A letter highlighting concerns about a Cochrane review of human papillomavirus published in 2018. Concerns were shared with Cochrane in June 2018 but not published in entirety until September 2018.
Level of Investigation Descriptive
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trial results; reporting bias not acknowledged; selective reporting not taken into consideration; biased trial designs; unpublished data not included; conflict of interests in the authors’ group; included studies for interventions no longer marketed in the USA
Number of systematic reviews included 1
Number of eligible systematic reviews assessed 1
Treatment impacted No
Treatment impacted description
Interpretation impacted Not Applicable
Interpretation impacted description