Expression of Concern: Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 variants from 24,181 patients exemplifies the role of globalization and zoonosis in pandemics

An Expression of Concern on
Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 variants from 24,181 patients exemplifies the role of globalization and zoonosis in pandemics

by Colson, P., Fournier, P.-E., Chaudet, H., Delerce, J., Giraud-Gatineau, A., Houhamdi, L., Andrieu, C., Brechard, L., Bedotto, M., Prudent, E., Gazin, C., Beye, M., Burel, E., Dudouet, P., Tissot-Dupont, H., Gautret, P., Lagier, J.-C., Million, M., Brouqui, P., Parola, P., Fenollar, F., Drancourt, M., La Scola, B., Levasseur, A., and Raoult, D. (2022). Front. Microbiol. 12:786233. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.786233

Following publication, it was brought to our attention that the ethical approval for this study referred to the same ethics approval number 2020-016-03 that had been used across a series of unrelated published studies (1–10). Additionally, an issue around the potential need for approval from a Comité de Protection de Personnes was raised and remains unresolved.

An investigation conducted by the Comité d'éthique at Aix-Marseille Université confirmed that this study is retrospective and did not require approval from a Comité de Protection de Personnes. The institution stated that the quoted ethics approval 2020-016-03 is a generic opinion concerning the study of genetic diversity and evolution of SARS-COV-2 which is valid for any study on this topic.

Frontiers has not received the necessary documentation to confirm these statements.

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