The study everyone cited for zinc and colds was pulled in 2015
Cochrane pulled its 2013 zinc and cold review in April 2015 after a rival author documented errors. Nothing replaced it until 2024, and articles kept citing it.
What the study found
The review behind the zinc-shortens-colds claim was withdrawn
Cochrane pulled its 2013 zinc and cold review in April 2015, after a rival author documented errors and alleged text and data were copied from his own. The withdrawal stood, nothing replaced it until 2024, and consumer articles went on citing it the whole time.
The caveat · Misconduct was not established
The notice is careful about what it did and did not establish: the duplicated text was judged minor and correctable, and the data allegation was investigated and left inconclusive, which is not a finding of misconduct. The complainant is himself the author of the competing review that the withdrawal left standing. The withdrawal covers the 2013 version specifically.