Journalists and others ought to cease referencing or utilizing the examine’s findings in any future reporting.
BMJ Group has withdrawn a examine that when steered consuming small quantities of apple cider vinegar every day might assist weight reduction in people who find themselves obese or overweight.
The scientific trial, revealed in March 2024 within the open-access journal BMJ Diet, Prevention & Well being, was accompanied by a press release and shortly drew widespread worldwide consideration. Even months later, its claims continued to be cited in media stories.
The choice to retract the paper got here after critical issues have been raised about its high quality. Points included questionable strategies of statistical evaluation, implausible statistical outcomes, unreliable uncooked knowledge, inadequate element within the description of strategies, and the absence of prior trial registration (a requirement underneath BMJ Group’s editorial coverage).
Early doubts appeared in critiques of the research, with some revealed as letters in the journal. BMJ Group’s content material integrity staff then performed a evaluate and referred the work to unbiased statistical specialists. Their job was to check whether or not the outcomes might be replicated and to confirm the validity of the info submitted by the authors.
Overview Findings
It wasn’t attainable for the statisticians to copy the outcomes and a number of analytical errors have been recognized. There have been additionally irregularities within the knowledge set, and their report, which is appended to the retraction discover, concluded that the info collected from every participant would require additional unbiased scrutiny.
The authors stated that the recognized errors have been sincere errors, however they agree with the choice to retract the examine.
Dr. Helen Macdonald, Publication Ethics and Content material Integrity Editor at BMJ Group, stated: “Tempting although it’s to alert readers to an ostensibly easy and apparently useful weight reduction help, at current the outcomes of the examine are unreliable, and journalists and others ought to not reference or use the outcomes of this examine in any future reporting.”
She added: “This retraction displays our strategic and proactive method to investigating issues raised in regards to the content material we publish. We act the place obligatory within the pursuits of openness and the significance of correcting the scientific document.
“Whereas we take care of allegations as swiftly as attainable, it’s crucial that due course of is adopted. Investigations are sometimes complicated. This one concerned detailed scrutiny of information and correspondence with researchers, establishments, and different specialists, for instance. Reaching a sound and truthful and last resolution can subsequently take a number of months.”
Reflection on Publication Determination
Commenting on the choice to publish the examine regardless of the dearth of trial registration, Professor Martin Kohlmeier, editor in chief of BMJ Diet Prevention & Well being, defined: “In hindsight, this was the mistaken resolution to make. However the authors come from a scientific surroundings that’s underrepresented in dietary analysis and the journal goals to prioritize prime quality proof, which normally comes from scientific trials.
“These are comparatively uncommon in dietary analysis as they are often difficult to undertake due to the numbers of contributors and time wanted to acquire significant outcomes.”
Reference: “Apple cider vinegar for weight administration in Lebanese adolescents and younger adults with obese and weight problems: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled examine” 23 September 2025, BMJ Diet Prevention & Well being.
DOI: 10.1136/bmjnph-2023-000823ret
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