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Covid-19: politicisation, “corruption,” and suppression of science

BMJ 2020; 371 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m4425 (Published 13 November 2020) Cite this as: BMJ 2020;371:m4425

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Re: Covid-19: politicisation, “corruption,” and suppression of science

Dear Editor

As a scientist working on vaccine safety in the United Kingdom I found this editorial a breath of fresh air in what had become a stale environment for the discussion of covid-related matters. The respondent 'Norris Steve' seems to require assurance that scientists in the UK and elsewhere are being silenced on this issue. He seems to think that such repression of science through fear is only an English disease. As a journalist he surely appreciates that scientists working in Scottish institutions benefitting financially from covid and, indeed other vaccine-related activities, are silent. To be otherwise would risk their employment. If he knows otherwise then I am sure that we would all be interested to hear of these critical voices.

Competing interests: We research vaccine safety funded by the MRC, CMSRI and philanthropy.

16 November 2020
Christopher Exley
Scientist
Keele University
The Birchall Centre