Don’t believe that peer-reviewed article!
Dr Ikshita Nagar, MBBS
Paracetamol and ORS are perhaps the best examples of the allopathy world delivering marvels with proor – a phenomenon we know as Evidence-based medicine. However, just like masala Hindi detective novels, there was bound to be a time when there was more ‘evidence’ than needed, or necessary. Slowly, the research didn’t just stay that way. It became “research” (yes, with air quotes). COVID-19 lockdown wasn’t all doom and gloom, it gave us the gift of endless research papers, each more baffling than the last. During those dark days of lockdown, when most of us were binge-watching The Office and perfecting the art of marking proxies in online classes, a curious phenomenon emerged: an explosion of utterly unnecessary research. Here’s my take on the whimsical world of pointless pandemic studies that made us question whether our researchers were simply trying to outdo one another in absurdity!
The pandemic has shown us just how crucial peer review is for science. Without it, opinions can easily be mistaken for facts, and research relevance can take a serious hit. Just look at the wild theories that popped up:
“COVID-19 could have been engineered in a lab.” (The nationalist in me and the WhatsApp addicts in my extended family could very well believe this)
“Hydroxychloroquine cures COVID-19.”
“Hydroxychloroquine doesn’t cure COVID-19.”
“Eating Giloy every day kills the COVID BACTERIA (Didn’t even bother to check if it’s a virus or not)”
And my personal favourite, “Coronil cures COVID 19” (Believe me, this one still exists)
However, if you think that if we put aside such controversial theories we can trust peer-reviewed articles published during the time, then you are sadly mistaken. Even peer-reviewed studies aren’t foolproof. Take the now-retracted Lancet study on hydroxychloroquine, which claimed the drug was causing higher death rates. It turned out that the data was completely fabricated, and there was no way the researchers could have obtained it. This shows that the peer-review process may not always live up to its hype.
Well, to prove my point, here’s a list of eyebrow-raising medical research papers that made it through the peer-reviewing process! (Disclaimer: Thankfully, many still did not get published because someone in their right mind saw the absurdity of the research)
- “Wearing Masks to Prevent COVID-19: A Quasi-Experimental Study of the Effectiveness of the ‘Burrito Wrap’ Method”
This paper humorously explored the idea of using a blanket-like wrap as a mask alternative, invoking the imagery of a human burrito to emphasise its point, hopefully without the side effects on the gut spoiling your mood and your washroom the morning after.
- “The Impact of High Heels on the Incidence of COVID-19 in Women: A Retrospective Study”
This study aimed to explore whether wearing high heels had any impact on the likelihood of contracting COVID-19, resulting in some head-scratching conclusions and plenty of chuckles. One would want to check for any financial conflict of interest of the authors affiliated with popular footwear brands.
- “Can COVID-19 Be Spread Through a ‘Virtual Hug’? An Analysis of Social Media Influence”
Researchers investigated whether the concept of a virtual hug shared through social media had any actual impact on the spread of the virus. Spoiler: it didn’t. The hypothesis does not change the pre-conceived notion (or common sense), but it did question our collective IQ.
- “The Influence of Puns in COVID-19 Communication: A Case Study of Internet Memes”
This paper analysed how humour, specifically puns and memes about COVID-19, affected public perception and understanding of the pandemic, proving that not all viral content is created equal. Such studies may suggest that perhaps a lot of ideas for such literature could have been invented at Sunday picnics involving dad jokes and stupor-inducing amounts of ethanol.
- “Effectiveness of Dance-Based Video Games in Reducing COVID-19 Stress Levels”
Researchers assessed whether playing dance video games could alleviate stress related to the pandemic. The study found that while it may not cure COVID-19, it could make you feel a bit better. Shaking it like Shammi always helps after all!
- “’Quarantine Cuisine’: A Survey of Creative Cooking During Lockdown and Its Effects on Mental Health”
This paper delved into how people’s creativity in the kitchen during quarantine—think gourmet banana bread and elaborate home-baked cakes—impacted their mental health. So, yes, your Dalgona coffee did achieve something other than becoming a validation-hungry, aesthetics-mongering Instagram post.
- “Can Talking to Plants Help Prevent COVID-19? A Preliminary Study”
Researchers explored whether conversing with plants had any effect on COVID-19 prevention or mental well-being. While the results were inconclusive (probably because they didn’t interview enough… plants?), the concept itself was a fun take.
Why the flood of flimsy research? Blame the pandemic’s lockdown. With labs shuttered, researchers who might’ve been knee-deep in experimental data were instead churning out half-baked reviews and opinion pieces that lacked substance to prevent their hard work from going into vain. What’s more, many saw the lockdown as an opportunity to delve into research to learn and also gain extra CV points. After all, USMLE awaits!
Let’s not forget the high-profile retractions from The Lancet and The New England Journal of Medicine. One of these retracted papers even led the World Health Organization to pause a clinical trial. Oops!
In sum, the pandemic has turned scientific publishing into a bit of a circus. Let’s hope that as we move forward, we can all agree to put away the novelty science tricks and focus on real, reliable research. After all, we’ve had enough of the showbiz science; let’s give the stage back to the science that makes a difference.
Bio: The author is a night owl who mostly spends her time unravelling the secrets of medical science with an intensely dark cup of coffee. If you don’t find her in the library, you’ll find her curled up in bed with a good book or netflixing. You might also spot her inspecting my food like a Michelin inspector because that’s one thing she’s very particular about. With an unwavering commitment to excellence and a penchant for the dramatic, she is the kind of doctor who combines caffeinated chaos with sarcastic wisdom
