Too much information, too little evidence: is waste in research fuelling the covid-19 infodemic?

Dear Editor

We agree with Casigliani and colleagues that Covid-19 ‘infodemic’ could do more harm than good through its communicative, behavioural, and clinical consequences [1]. Covid-19 is the first pandemic to arrive in the era of a social media boom [2]. The fear mongering seen with the pandemic is unprecedented [3]. It seems as if humankind was relatively safe until Covid-19 made global headlines, as if diarrhoea, malnutrition, tuberculosis, malaria, AIDS were not ‘deadly’ enough. It took the fatality statistics of Covid-19 to bring about better hygiene and sanitation practices that doctors had been screaming hoarse about until now.

Covid-19 in the time of ‘viral’ news is disbursing scientific knowledge that is not only appalling in its magnitude, it is even dangerous. Everyone is eager to learn about results of trials of drugs whether Favipiravir or Lopinavir-Ritonavir released in the form of ‘breaking news’. It only creates false hopes, shatter them, and create more fear and panic. The news anchors on the 100-odd news channels are seen mispronouncing Remdisivir and Dexamethasone, and the idle viewer is showing eagerness to know unlike ever before. Whether plasma therapy is successful, or if Tocilizumab is curative, has become a concern of the society at-large. Why should the general public have access to results of clinical trials or phased vaccine research? In spite of government guidelines reiterating to stick to basics in the management of mild to moderate Covid cases, hoarding of Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin has taken place on a large scale [4].

When the pandemic subsides there should be regulation in information disbursement and the access to core scientific research. Perhaps there can be a dedicated news channel run by scholars available for subscription or paid attendance at CMEs for a genuine audience. The faith in the medical fraternity should be complete, that the best is being done to save lives, and dedicated efforts should be taken to dispel unfounded fears.

REFERENCES
1. Casigliani Virginia, De Nard Francesca, De Vita Erica, Arzilli Guglielmo, Grosso Francesca Maria, Quattrone Filippo et al. Too much information, too little evidence: is waste in research fuelling the covid-19 infodemic? BMJ 2020; 370 :m2672
2. Depoux A, Martin S, Karafillakis E, Preet R, Wilder-Smith A, Larson H. The pandemic of social media panic travels faster than the COVID-19 outbreak. J Travel Med. 2020 May 18;27(3).
3. Dubey S, Biswas P, Ghosh R, Chatterjee S, Dubey MJ, Chatterjee S, Lahiri D, Lavie CJ. Psychosocial impact of COVID-19. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2020 May 27;14(5):779-788.
4. Gabler E. States say some doctors stockpile trial coronavirus drugs for themselves [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2020 March 27]. Available from: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/24/business/doctors-buying-coronavirus-d....