Thread by @Ayjchan

There's some confusion that I'm a member of Drastic. There's even a book coming out that misstates several times that I'm part of Drastic.

I'm not and never have been.

But I've long advocated for journalists to properly credit their efforts to investigate the #OriginsOfCovid

https://twitter.com/Ayjchan/status/1426637034408525825

This is the team membership of Drastic.
Journalists, please look at this very easy to find page before assuming who is or isn't on the Drastic team.
drasticresearch.org/the-team/

We've already seen one award-winning journalist make a severe error (yet to be corrected) in this regard: misstating that a neuroscientist in Drastic made sexist remarks.

FYI the same neuroscientist has also attacked me repeatedly on twitter.
nature.com/articles/d4158…

Aside from failing to correct erroneous reporting, I find it more problematic that respected science writers and scientists are not more introspective about the lack of transparency and efforts in their community to investigate the #OriginsOfCovid

https://twitter.com/Ayjchan/status/1410373338187415552

If the research and sci comm community demonstrate to the public that they (1) don't tell the whole truth/tell well-intentioned half-truths and (2) can't hold their friends accountable, then you essentially leave these important tasks to outsiders and renegades in the community.

You don't get to leave a giant vacuum and then complain about the under-qualified people volunteering to do your job.

The question is why weren't you doing your job in the first place.