Peter C. Gøtzsche
Encyclopedia
Peter C. Gøtzsche is a Danish
medical researcher, and leader of the Nordic Cochrane Center at Rigshospitalet
in Copenhagen
, Denmark.
He has written numerous reviews within the Cochrane collaboration
.
Among his research findings are that placebo
has surprisingly little effect
and that many meta-analyses
may suffer from data extraction errors.
Gøtzsche and his coauthors have been keen to criticize the research methods and interpretations of other scientists, e.g., in meta-analysis of placebo.
His study of the efficiency of mammography
drew much attention.
In 2006 a paper of his was electronically "published" in the European Journal of Cancer
ahead of print.
The journal later removed the paper completely from the journal web-site without any formal retraction.
The paper was later published in Danish Medical Bulletin with a short note from the editor,
and Gøtzsche and his coauthors commented on the unilateral retraction that the authors were not involved in.
Gøtzsche has also commented on meta-analysis,
the editorial independence of medical journals
and medical ghostwriting.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
medical researcher, and leader of the Nordic Cochrane Center at Rigshospitalet
Rigshospitalet
Rigshospitalet - Copenhagen University Hospital, or simply Riget, is the national hospital of Denmark, located in the capital city of Copenhagen, between the streets of Blegdamsvej, Tagensvej and Nørre Allé...
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark.
He has written numerous reviews within the Cochrane collaboration
Cochrane Collaboration
The Cochrane Collaboration is a group of over 28,000 volunteers in more than 100 countries who review the effects of health care interventions tested in biomedical randomized controlled trials. A few more recent reviews have also studied the results of non-randomized, observational studies...
.
Among his research findings are that placebo
Placebo
A placebo is a simulated or otherwise medically ineffectual treatment for a disease or other medical condition intended to deceive the recipient...
has surprisingly little effect
and that many meta-analyses
Meta-analysis
In statistics, a meta-analysis combines the results of several studies that address a set of related research hypotheses. In its simplest form, this is normally by identification of a common measure of effect size, for which a weighted average might be the output of a meta-analyses. Here the...
may suffer from data extraction errors.
Gøtzsche and his coauthors have been keen to criticize the research methods and interpretations of other scientists, e.g., in meta-analysis of placebo.
His study of the efficiency of mammography
Mammography
Mammography is the process of using low-energy-X-rays to examine the human breast and is used as a diagnostic and a screening tool....
drew much attention.
In 2006 a paper of his was electronically "published" in the European Journal of Cancer
European Journal of Cancer
The European Journal of Cancer is a peer-reviewed medical journal devoted to cancer research on experimental oncology, clinical oncology , and on cancer epidemiology and prevention. The editor-in-chief is Alexander M. M. Eggermont ....
ahead of print.
The journal later removed the paper completely from the journal web-site without any formal retraction.
The paper was later published in Danish Medical Bulletin with a short note from the editor,
and Gøtzsche and his coauthors commented on the unilateral retraction that the authors were not involved in.
Gøtzsche has also commented on meta-analysis,
the editorial independence of medical journals
and medical ghostwriting.