Collaborative research has attracted a lot of attention on social media lately. Its methodological validity and issues with authorship have been the subject of a heated controversy on Twitter in April 2022.
On April 2nd, Kenneth McLean @kennethmclean92 congratulated @EuroSurg on the publication in @BJSurgery of a collaborative study on a controversial matter: the use of intraabdominal drains after elective colorectal surgery.
@EuroSurg is a highly successful European surgical research network of students and surgeons running multicentre studies. Their website can be accessed here https://eurosurg.org/.
The tweet had received 10 retweets, 24 likes and on quote tweet by May 3rd
Huge congrats to the @EuroSurg#COMPASS collaborators🧭. Despite all the #covid19 disruption, it's fantastic to see at home in @BJSurgery!🤩Do we need further guidance on patient selection @ESCP_studies or an educational intervention like @EagleEscp to #refrainfromdrains?🤔 https://t.co/AvdyggDdYF' Kenneth McLean (@kennethmclean92) April 2, 2022
One day later, Kjetil Soreide @ksoreide wondered if it is appropriate to kill two birds with one stone when treating patients with synchronous primary colorectal cancer and liver metastasis. He was citing a @BJSurgery tweet about this paper https://doi.org/10.1093/bjs/znab457
The tweet had received 1 retweet and 4 likes by May 3rd
Two birds with one stone? 👇🏻 synchronous CRLM @BJSurgery@BJSAcademy@young_bjs@hpb_so@EAHPBA#liverSurgeryhttps://t.co/dirTNcc5YLpic.twitter.com/38BPNv6Eyy' Kjetil Søreide (@ksoreide) April 3, 2022
A Spanish colorectal surgery, Curro Blanco @Curro_Blanco , tweeted in Spanish to show his interest in the @BJSurgery paper titled “Impact of adverse events on surgeons” by Kevin Turner et al. on April 6th.
The article can be accessed here https://doi.org/10.1093/bjs/znab447. The tweet had received 2 retweets and 7 likes by May 3rd.
The tweet had received 2 retweets and 7 likes by May 3rd
¿Como afectan los eventos adversos y las complicaciones a los cirujanos?Interesante trabajo publicado en el @BJSurgeryhttps://t.co/RTK1NpbHKX' Curro Blanco (@Curro_Blanco) April 6, 2022
Ruth Blanco Colino @ruthbc93, a brilliant surgical resident at Vall d’Hebron Hospital in Barcelona, also tweeted in Spanish about the @EuroSurg paper “Intraperitoneal drain placement and outcomes after elective colorectal surgery: international matched, prospective, cohort study”
Her tweet generated good engagement with 7 retweets and 14 likes by May 3rd
La última publicación de @EuroSurg sobre la variación internacional 🌍 en la colocación de drenajes en #cirugíacolorrectal y su seguridad/complicaciones en el @BJSurgery🔗https://t.co/fRJ3oAJX4s#COMPASS study🧭 #colorectalsurgery#colorectalresearch📚https://t.co/q1EW3QgFwWpic.twitter.com/09WDvrSNlP' Ruth Blanco Colino (@ruthbc93) April 8, 2022
But it was mid-April when a heated debate started on Twitter after a @BJSurgery “Gloves Off” paper by Martin Bjork @mabjo425 (Link to the paper https://doi.org/10.1093/bjs/znac100). Martin questioned some of the statements made by Li and Banghu (https://doi.org/10.1093/bjs/znac099) about collaborative research and questioned its scientific validity and the authorship model used in collaborations.
Dmitri Nepogodiev @dnepo, who has brilliantly spearheaded the largest surgical collaborative to date, @CovidSurg, tweeted his response to Martin Bjork’s criticism on April 15th. The first tweet had received 14 retweets, 43 likes and four quote tweets by May 3rd.
If you are interested in reading Dmitri Nepogodiev’s thread, see below:
Gloves off: my thoughts.A summary of Martin's argument is that findings from collaborative research are flawed, and the authorship model devalues the work of the people who lead collaborative studies (although apparently their work has little value). pic.twitter.com/vlkyeQNs4g' Dmitri Nepogodiev (@dnepo) April 15, 2022
On the same day, April 15th, Augustinas Bausys posted his arguments against the authorship model, whereas Ewen Griffiths tweeted in favor of collaborative research.
Bausys’ tweet had received 4 likes by May 3rd and can be accessed here:
Those collaborative studies with hundreds or thousands of co-authors, including those who just collected few cases and did not had any input for data analysis, manuscript writing, etc. do not grow collaborators academically and simply undervalue co-authorship of scientific paper' Augustinas Bausys (@BausysA) April 15, 2022
Griffiths’ tweet had 7 likes by May 3rd and can be seen here:
I'm a believer in collab research for many reasons 1. can answer ? that registries just can't 2. time-limited 'snap shots' focus the mind; therefore uptodate and relevant 3. progression to RCTs is possible4. everyone gets fairly recognised 5. its pyramid training scheme pic.twitter.com/juxRjdydt0' Ewen A Griffiths (@EwenGriffiths) April 15, 2022
On April 17th, the controversy between Martin Björk and Dmitri Nepogodiev continued:
You have read my text as the Devil reads the Bible. Read it once again and try to understand the words.' Martin Björck (@mabjo425) April 17, 2022
This is not a correct summary. For everything who is really interested in the matter I suggest that you read the paper once again,' Martin Björck (@mabjo425) April 17, 2022
On April 19th, Rebecca Grossman @rebgross shared her first leading article “Harassment in Surgery: line in the sand” published in @BJSurgery on Twitter. (Link to the article https://doi.org/10.1093/bjs/znac085). This is an extremely important issue and action should be taken to change the culture and prevent harassment.
Her tweet was very engaging. It received 33 retweets, 88 likes, and four quote tweets:
✍️ Very proud to have written this piece with my colleagues on the @BJSurgery editorial team.My first leading article in BJS, and the topic could not be more important. Harassment in surgery must stop.🔗https://t.co/r1qPNffSnw#SoMe4Surgery#ILookLikeASurgeonpic.twitter.com/0Xtx7Jb1OG' Rebecca C Grossman (@rebgross) April 19, 2022
@BJSOpen shared a video and the link to a paper on the use of wearables to monitor recovery after surgery on Twitter on April 20th. This #openaccess paper can be read here https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsopen/zrac031
The tweet with the video had five retweets, 12 likes and one quote tweet by May 3rd:
#ICYMIWhat is the role of #wearables to monitor recovery after #surgery? Excellent scoping review here:https://t.co/eZoN5fz7st#SoMe4Surgery#surgicalresearch@asgbi@eurohernias@SEIQuirurgica@drcamwellspic.twitter.com/J0Wukfkzp0' BJS Open (@BjsOpen) April 20, 2022
Six days later, on April 26th, @BJSOpen tweeted again a video and the link to a review paper on the definition of futility in emergency laparotomy. The #openaccess paper can be read here https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsopen/zrac023
The tweet had a large repercussion, with 12 retweets, 24 likes and 8 quote tweets by May 3rd
ICYMI: How do we define futility in emergency #laparotomy?#videoabstract#some4surgery#emgensurg@asgbi@SEIQuirurgica@ASiTofficialhttps://t.co/PP9HOnr3lDpic.twitter.com/6wm7Dm8a0s' BJS Open (@BjsOpen) April 26, 2022
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