China and India are countries with highly trained good scientists, who work in a bad system. They have to make results constantly to keep officials happy. So there is a lot of research fraud. I don't know about Iran but it's probably similar. A lot depends on the field and institution but it's possible. (The West is really bad for research fraud too, but not as bad.)
This meta analysis tries to look for high "risk of bias" based on methodology. But it doesn't look like they consider the possibility of fraud, only bad methodology and statistics.
there may also be political pressure, but mainly there is just a strong demand for more papers, which means getting results that are publishable. "fluoridation has no effect on IQ" would be less publishable. same as in the west, but the western bureaucrats are more realistic and more focused on quality so the pressure is not as strong.
> have to make results constantly to keep officials happy
Ironically, there is probably some public pressure in the West to publish findings that make fluoride look bad. Why solve actual problems when you can defeat imaginary ones?
I doubt it’s that coördinated. More likely: researchers respond to funders who really want to see a particular outcome. Nobody goes in aiming to be corrupt. But as a system it winds up being.
This meta analysis tries to look for high "risk of bias" based on methodology. But it doesn't look like they consider the possibility of fraud, only bad methodology and statistics.
reply