The global academic publishing market generates billion-euro margins based on a quality seal issued by unpaid volunteers in their spare time — while an entire industry builds its investment and regulatory foundations on that seal.
The Corman-Drosten paper of January 2020 is the scientific foundation of global PCR diagnostics. Three transparency problems were identified later — peer review completed in 24 hours, undisclosed commercial conflicts of interest among co-authors, undisclosed editorial board membership of two authors. All three were acknowledged by the journal itself. The paper holds scientifically. Both things are true.
