Controversial Covid excess deaths study retracted after criticism over vaccine misinformation
PARIS, Aug 12 — A controversial study analysing excess deaths during the Covid pandemic, which was widely cr...
A study examining excess deaths during the Covid pandemic has been retracted by the British journal BMJ Public Health, due to concerns over vaccine misinformation, the publisher announced on August 12, 2024. The research, published in 2024, posited that high numbers of extra deaths persisted in the West following the pandemic's peak.
The paper was frequently referenced in anti-vaccine materials, which falsely asserted it directly related these deaths to Covid vaccinations. However, the study did not make this explicit claim. Instead, it concluded that mortality in Western countries remained elevated for three years, despite the use of containment measures and vaccinations.
This ambiguity sparked criticism, with some researchers accusing the authors of fueling unfounded vaccine-related attacks. The methodology for calculating excess deaths also came under scrutiny. The BMJ Group, which published the paper, had initiated an investigation, as had the Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, based in the Netherlands, where three of the four authors were affiliated.
The BMJ Group had already expressed concern about the study in 2024. After its investigation, the journal decided to fully retract the study, the most severe form of scientific disavowal for papers. The BMJ Group and two of the authors backed this decision.
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