Controversy Over 20-Year-Old Study on Opioid Poisoning in Infants

A controversial 2006 Canadian medical paper linking a baby’s death to codeine in breastmilk is under renewed scrutiny after The Lancet issued an “expression of concern” due to allegations of data falsification and ethical issues. The case study, authored by Gideon Koren, has significantly influenced global pain management and breastfeeding guidelines, despite being widely debunked. Critics, including pharmacologist David Juurlink, argue that Koren misinterpreted toxicology results, and the paper’s conclusions are implausible. The Motherisk lab, associated with Koren, was shut down amid scandals involving unreliable drug testing, leading to wrongful child removals.

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