BMJ Group retracts controversial COVID-19 excess mortality study

The BMJ Group has announced the full retraction of a 2024 study published in BMJ Public Health regarding excess mortality rates in Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The publisher cited “misinformation on causes of death and limited original work conducted by the authors” as the primary reasons for the decision. While the study did not explicitly claim that COVID-19 vaccines caused the observed mortality patterns, its ambiguous language regarding the persistence of excess deaths despite vaccination campaigns was widely used by anti-vaccine movements to suggest a link.

The retraction follows investigations into the study’s methodology and its potential to spread misinformation. Three of the four authors were affiliated with the Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, which also conducted an investigation into the matter.