Is it true that a researcher from Stanford University has denied the need to wear a mask?

Opponents of the use of medical masks in everyday life argue that recently a scientist from one of the most authoritative universities in the world has joined their opinion. We checked whether this is really so.

In mid -April 2021, the news quickly spread to the United States. Toward the end of the month, posts about the study began to appear in Russian -speaking accounts in social networks, in particular Instagram And "VKontakte". Internet users who are against wearing masks believe that the authority of one of the best Universities in the world will help to convince the rest of their innocence.

Users of social networks, distributing information about Stanford Research, refer to the work of Baruha Vainchelma. According to information from his article, published In November 2020, WeinShelbim works as a physiologist at the Cardiological Department of the Veters Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, but their representative reported AP that such a person does not consist in their staff. Through the Slash, the article indicates affiliation with Stanford University - on his website the name of Vainchelboym Found Only as a co -author of several articles. “Stanford University has never been hired by Baruha Weinhchelma.” She said Director for External Communications of the Medical School of Stanford Julia Graisius. She also noted that in 2015 this person was an invited researcher at the university “On issues that are not related to this article”.

It is worth paying attention to the magazine where the Vainchelboym article on the dangers of wearing masks was published. The publication of Medical Hypotheses differs from authoritative scientific journals in that it openly declares the readiness to publish "radical, speculative and non -core scientific ideas, provided that they are consistently expressed." On the Scientific Portal SJR about this magazine It is saidthat its editorial board accepts materials with interesting theoretical assumptions, even if they lack experimental evidence. Among such studies published in Medical Hypotheses, article 2008 on the relationship of ejaculation and treatment of nasal congestion and Job 2004, the author of which considers the relationship between wearing heels and the development of schizophrenia.

According to the annotation typos, the Vainchelboym article “comprehensively summarizes the scientific evidence about carrying masks in the Covid-19 era, presenting useful information for public health care and making a decision.” The text of the article comes down to three main arguments: firstly, masks do not reduce the risk of infection with coronavirus; Secondly, masks cause hypoxia in humans (reduced oxygen content) and hypercapnia (increased carbon dioxide content); Thirdly, the constant wearing of masks can lead to unpleasant physiological and psychological problems in the future.

Although Vainchelboim leads a number of sources to his article, often his own arguments contradict the written in these sources. Thus, the statement “Clinical data even more questioned the effectiveness of the face masks to block the transmission or infection from a person to a person” is accompanied by a link to article In the journal Nature, which says the exact opposite. Talking about the possible negative consequences from wearing masks, the author even quotes another article From Medical Hypotheses. Weincheshim also gives its arguments regarding ordinary medical masks with reference to research, dedicated Respirators N95. They really worse They pass the air than ordinary masks, but there is no reason to talk about a serious effect on health.

Most of the untruth

What do our verdicts mean?

Read on the topic:

1. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/stanford-nih-mask-study/
2. https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/apr/16/diamond-and-silk/medical-hypotheses-journal-gaticle-lacks-evidence-/
3. https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-629043235973
4. https://factcheck.kz/health/chto-ne-tak-so-stenfordskim-issledovaniem-neeffektivnosti-i-opasnosti-masok/