Update. I reached out and NIH director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli has corrected this error. She says she "misspoke" and had “meant to say ‘viral components’ rather than ‘live virus.’” The NIH also confirmed to me such remnants have not yet been shown to correlate with symptoms.
Update. I reached out and NIH director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli has corrected this error. She says she "misspoke" and had “meant to say ‘viral components’ rather than ‘live virus.’” The NIH also confirmed to me such remnants have not yet been shown to correlate with symptoms. https://t.co/GquAS0i7Mf
Viral persistence is a valid hypothesis about Long Covid. However, LIVE persistent virus has not been found in LC patients, and viral remnants haven't been shown to correlate with symptoms. This may change, but for now, that's the state of research. nytimes.com/live/2024/04/1…
I want to thank Dr. Bertagnolli for being engaged with Long Covid and correcting this mistake — suffering patients are eagerly awaiting useful breakthroughs so it's important to be precise about what we do and don't yet know.
Separately, academic incentives can fuel exaggerating one's topic and findings. Academics are used to this. We often apply a deflator to claims and focus on methods, findings & supplements. But I wish this wasn't done as much for LC. Suffering patients deserve straight talk.
In this case, I'd say misspeaking happens and correcting it is right! However, the episode does demonstrate the reluctance to openly criticize or push for clarification when a questionable claim is floated or an error is made — a disservice to patients. x.com/zeynep/status/…
In this case, I'd say misspeaking happens and correcting it is right! However, the episode does demonstrate the reluctance to openly criticize or push for clarification when a questionable claim is floated or an error is made — a disservice to patients. x.com/zeynep/status/…
Example. I think Long Covid is causing substantial suffering and wrote many NYT articles on it. But when NIH Recover's pediatric researchers make up nonsensical numbers about rates of Long Covid in kids and it goes unchallenged, it harms the patients. x.com/zeynep/status/…
Example. I think Long Covid is causing substantial suffering and wrote many NYT articles on it. But when NIH Recover's pediatric researchers make up nonsensical numbers about rates of Long Covid in kids and it goes unchallenged, it harms the patients. x.com/zeynep/status/… https://t.co/dWataymCTf