A group of scientists has called for the retraction of a paper that dismissed the idea of the lab origin of Covid-19. The paper, titled “Proximal Origin,” was published shortly before the UK entered its first lockdown and stated that a lab-based scenario for the virus’s origin was implausible. However, secret messages between the authors were recently uncovered, casting doubt on their own beliefs. One of the authors, Dr. Kristian Andersen, actually believed that a lab escape was highly likely. The controversy surrounding the paper comes as China continues to deny that the virus originated from a lab in Wuhan. Despite publicly supporting the natural origins theory, leaked messages suggest that the authors had political motivations and feared the repercussions of attributing blame to the Chinese lab. The paper had been influential in shaping the narrative surrounding the virus’s origins, but recent developments have led to calls for its retraction by a coalition of scientists. The authors’ questionable statements and behavior have raised concerns about scientific misconduct. As the debate over Covid’s origins continues, it remains unclear if the truth will ever be uncovered. Yesterday, 34 scientists signed a letter urging Nature Medicine to retract the paper, highlighting its role in promoting a false narrative and the authors’ conflicting views. The pressure on the paper intensified after leaked messages revealed that Dr. Andersen and the other authors had different opinions than what was presented in the publication. The scientists’ alleged attempts to censor debate on the lab leak theory have been met with criticism, and they were questioned during a recent US congressional hearing. The revelations have added to the growing evidence suggesting a lab leak as a possible origin for Covid-19, despite China’s denials. The possibility that the virus emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology remains inconclusive. As more information emerges, it is crucial to examine the scientific literature objectively and remove misleading and damaging publications. Nature Medicine was contacted for comment on the controversy.
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