DOCTOR BOZO: How the Florida Surgeon General DISTORTED research in his health advice
A report by faculty members at the University of Florida’s College of Medicine alleges that Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo was misleading in his recommendations about dealing with the COVID-19 vaccine.
The medical college’s faculty council says that Ladapo not only used “careless and contentious” research methods to gather his information but possibly violated the university’s policies against such practices when announcing the mRNA vaccine increases the risk of cardiomyopathy in 18-39-year-old males.
According to the online medical journal, TheBMJ, Ladapo was the only surgeon general in the United States to go against the recommendation of federal health officials.
The DeSantis appointee hasn’t been shy in his criticisms of vaccines – raising eyebrows and concerns from his University of Florida colleagues based on his anti-mask, anti-coronavirus vaccine, and anti-social distance stance.
The report’s authors sought to have their findings sent to the university’s research integrity officer, David Norton – but his hands are tied.
Despite being given a tenured position at the college of medicine at the request of the state of Florida, Ladapo isn’t an actual faculty member.
The vice president for research, Norton released a statement saying that his office “has no standing to consider the allegations or concerns regarding research integrity,” due to Ladapo’s role as a public servant.
The Surgeon General is accused of picking and choosing what information he used to base his recommendations without context.
“Ladapo is accused of basing his recommendation on a single unpublished study commissioned by his health department, without named authors or peer review,” The BMJ wrote.
Covid-19: Florida’s surgeon general used dangerously “careless” research practice in recommending against vaccination, his university finds https://t.co/GKmzN9Zu8K
— Lesley Abravanel 🪩 (@lesleyabravanel) January 16, 2023
The study made claims of “a statistically significant increase in cardiac-related deaths in this age group in the 25 weeks following vaccination,” but faculty members accuse Ladapo of ignoring the possibility that without the patient’s medical records, so-called data connecting the deaths to the coronavirus vaccine may not be reliable.
Multiple large-sample peer-reviewed studies have found no increase in the mortality rate of men in the reported age group from cardiomyopathy – and confirm that deaths related to the cardiac illness are rare.
A Wall Street Journal article Dr. Ladapo used to defend his position had the opposite effect.
A British study on the correlation between infection, vaccination, and cardiac death produced “no evidence of an association between Covid-19 vaccination and an increased risk of death in young people, according to BMJ.
While Ladapo isn’t accused of falsifying data, his colleagues allege violations of the University of Florida’s research integrity policy.
Undeterred by the rebuke, the state’s leading healthcare official announced that Florida would be launching its own study into links between cardiomyopathy after vaccination, The BMJ’s Owen Dyer reported.
“It is a question that I’m sure keeps the chief executives of Pfizer and Moderna up late at night, hoping no one ever looks,” Ladapo said. “But we’re going to look here in Florida.”
Original reporting by Owen Dyer at The BMJ.
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