BMJ Group retracts research published in 2024 on excess deaths
On the grounds of misinformation on causes of death and limited original work conducted by the authors
BMJ Group
BMJ Group has retracted a data analysis highlighting excess deaths in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand in the wake of the pandemic.
This has been done due to misinformation on the possible reasons for the excess mortality and limited original work conducted by the authors.
The research was published in the open access journal BMJ Public Health in June 2024 and its findings press released, generating widespread media coverage.
But shortly after publication, concerns were raised about the quality, originality, and messaging of the research, prompting an expression of concern to be posted in June 2024.
This explained that the research didn’t investigate or establish a causal link between COVID-19 containment measures, vaccination and excess deaths.
The Princess Máxima Centre in Utrecht, listed as the institution of three of the four authors at the time of publication, carried out its own investigation and shared the anonymised findings with BMJ Group in May 2025.
These findings, which are attached to the retraction notice, did not report on the individual who was the corresponding author and guarantor of the work.
The institution found no evidence of malicious intent, fabrication or falsification of data, or plagiarism by the authors who were investigated. However, it concluded that the authors’ explanations for the possible causes of the excess deaths didn’t reflect scientific consensus at the time and considered their conclusions to be misleading, selective, and disproportionately focused on the negative effects of vaccination.
The journal eventually made contact with the corresponding author and guarantor in October 2025, enabling it to understand her perspective. BMJ Group’s own investigation concluded that the discussion lacked sufficient balance; the explanations for the possible causes of excess deaths included misinformation; and the amount of original work conducted by the authors was limited.
Dr Helen Macdonald, publication ethics and content integrity editor at BMJ Group, commented: “This case was complicated because of the multiple issues requiring investigation, some of which had been partly investigated by the institution, and involved unpicking how the research came to be conducted and presented as it was.”
Dr Macdonald also emphasised the importance of hearing from the corresponding author and guarantor, adding: “We understood she wasn’t available to contribute to the Princess Máxima Centre’s investigation. The Centre has not made its full report publicly available, therefore we have attached the report sent to the journal to the notice.”
The institution and two of the four authors of the research support the decision to retract the work
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