A pandemic of bad science

Epidemiological models and vaccine development progress are crucial areas of public interest during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet the surge in demand for information has led to significant challenges in scientific communication. The rush to publish, the widespread attention given to unreviewed preprints, and the proliferation of predatory journals have enabled the spread of pseudoscience and misleading claims. Additionally, the commercial exploitation of public anxiety and the production of low-quality, data-driven research are undermining trust and diverting resources from meaningful scientific efforts.