"Lancet" study data secret?

Two of the more powerful, albeit dubious, public relations failures with respect to the Iraq War were the "Lancet" study estimates of civilian casualties.

"Lancet" was a misnomer, for the respected journal did not conduct the study but simply published it.

Now the American Association of Public Opinion Research has accused the study's director, Gilbert Burnham, accused Burnham of violating scientific ethics. The AAPOR requested specific information from Burnham so that it could verify his findings, but he declined:

"Dr Burnham provided only partial information and explicitly refused to provide complete information about the basic elements of his research," said Mary Losch, chair of the association's standards committee.

She added that Dr Burnham's refusal to co-operate "violates the fundamental standards of science, seriously undermines open public debate on critical issues and undermines the credibility of all survey and public opinion research."

The BBC also reported, for contrast, the civilian death estimates of Iraq Body Count. IBC published a criticism of Burnham's work on its Web site not long after the study was published in the Lancet.

I wonder if "Godless Liberal Homo" (aka "libhom") has yet taken note?

The criticisms of the Lancet studies you mention are specious. The pundits making them did not have the qualifications to judge them. On the other hand, scientists doing peer reviews for Britain's most prestigious medical journal were eminently qualified.

I wonder what the scientists doing peer reviews were permitted to review with respect to the study if Burnham refused to release data to the AAPOR?

Nothing yet at GLH.

Addendum:

It's old news so wouldn't really count as an "update," but I found this nugget in an older story about the "Lancet" study:

Professor Burnham (...) says that the Iraqi team has asked for data to remain confidential because of “possible risks” to both interviewers and interviewees.

Ah, science and its principle of verification. Gotta love it.