On 6 June I followed up on the response to my complaint from Martin Burton and Marguerite Koster, Co-Chairs of the Cochrane Governing Board. In their response they had expressed full support for the Editor-in-Chief’s decisions regarding the review, and confidence that he had acted in the best interests of Cochrane, and in a manner that best serves the public as a whole [emphasis mine]. I agree Dr Tovey acted in the best interests of Cochrane, but it doesn’t follow that this is also in the best interests of the public. Unless hiding the fact that Cochrane has whitewashed poor and biased science is in the public’s best interest. It certainly has not been in the best interests of people with ME.
In their response they also said the review would be amended by the end of the month.
We are in a “period up to the end of May 2019” during which the review in question is being amended (see note at:https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003200.pub7/information under “What’s new”, dated 8th March 2019). We await publication of the amended review.
From: Caroline Struthers
Sent: Thursday, June 6, 2019 4:10 PM
To: Lucie Binder
Cc: Rae Lamb (Chair of the Cochrane Complaints Resolution Working Group)
Subject: Re: Complaint about Cochrane Review of Exercise for CFS review
Dear Lucie
The email from Martin Burton and Marguerite Koster of 8 May states that the review would be amended by the end of May. This has not happened, and there is no note on the review to explain why. Please could you let me know what’s happening?
I have copied in Rae Lamb, chair of the Complaints Resolution Working Group. It would be good idea to engage with existing and previous complainants when developing a procedure to resolve them, and I would be happy to help.
With best wishes
Caroline
On Fri, Jun 7, 2019 at 1:26 PM Lucie Binder wrote:
Dear Caroline,
Many thanks for your email. I will check the progress of the amendment with Karla Soares-Weiser, the new Editor in Chief.
With best wishes,
Lucie
Lucie Binder
Senior Advisor to the CEO (Governance & Management)
Cochrane Central Executive
From: Caroline Struthers
Sent: Friday, June 7, 2019 2:16 PM
To: Lucie Binder
Cc: Rae Lamb
Subject: Re: Complaint about Cochrane Review of Exercise for CFS review
Thanks Lucie – I would appreciate that
Caroline
On Fri, 14 Jun 2019, 12:33 Lucie Binder wrote:
Dear Caroline,
I have spoken to Karla and the review is currently in revision. Once it is ready, it will be copy-edited and the plan is to publish it in early July.
With best wishes,
Lucie
Fri, Jun 14, 12:50 PM
to Lucie
Thanks.
Will there be a new note put on the review to that effect?
Best
Caroline
I received no reply, but a new note was added to the review on 17 June.
Addition of new published note ‘Cochrane’s Editor in Chief has received the revised version of the review from the author team with changes made in response to the complaint by Robert Courtney. The process has taken longer than hoped; the amended review is being finalised and it will be published during the next 2 months.’
My offer of help to Rae Lamb and the “Complaints Resolution Working Group” has also received no response.