(Snippets from the frontline)
COVID-19: Manipulating data
In 1975, I presented my master’s thesis at an Indiana University health conference. The data collected was a culmination of one year of research, accepted and later published in a medical journal.
This was my first foray into this realm, so I used a scholarly statistic group from Purdue University, as well as broad critiques from well-regarded research professionals.
In attendance at the conference was an infamous pharmaceutical company researcher who had “manipulated” his research data solely for profit. The drug was later taken off the market as it harmed the public.
Many of us young researchers were fortunately influenced by experienced professors who engrained honesty and legitimacy into our moral character.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is hard to sort through true and false claims promoted by researchers that could be for profit and even harm the public.
The most difficult decision to be made soon will be whether one should get inoculated by a research-developed vaccine? How will we know the data is honest and legitimate, or if a pharmaceutic company only seeks to improve their bottom line?
I intend to research the research before I get my shot.
Gene Uzawa Dorio, M.D. 
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