Waste in covid-19 research

Extract The medical research world is responding to the covid-19pandemic at breathtaking speed. There has been a maelstromof global research, with mixed consequences. Positives includethe greater provision of open access to covid-19 studies, someincreased collaboration, expedited governance and ethicsapprovals of new clinical studies, and wider use of preprints.But many problems have become evident. Before the pandemic,it was estimated that up to 85% of research was wasted becauseof poor questions, poor study design, inefficiency of regulationand conduct, and non or poor reporting of results.1 Many ofthese problems are amplified in covid-19 research, with timepressures and inadequate research infrastructure contributing.