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Erick Turner

@eturnermd1.bsky.social

780 followers 200 following 2.4K posts

Advocate for and researcher on transparency in medical research. Former FDA reviewer of psychotropic drugs back when the FDA was a tougher gatekeeper.

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Erick Turner @eturnermd1.bsky.social · Dec 10

Wouldn't it be nice if u could read a published pharma-sponsored clinical trial about some new drug & be confident that the results are what they appear to be?

@chrisdc77 & I think it's very achievable using the @RegReports peer review model.

Our proposal ⬇️ www.openpharma.blog/blog/transpa...

Leveraging Registered Reports to increase transparency in trial publication – Open Pharma - Innovations in medical publishing

Publication bias undermines the credibility of clinical trial reporting and negatively affects the reputation of pharma sponsors. Registered Reports (RR) is a peer review process designed to eradicate...

www.openpharma.blog

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Erick Turner @eturnermd1.bsky.social · 3d

a cartoon character from south park says that this is a little suspicious

ALT: a cartoon character from south park says that this is a little suspicious

media.tenor.com

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Erick Turner @eturnermd1.bsky.social · 3d

Of possible future (or present) interest to @retractionwatch.com

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LizW @cave-malum.bsky.social · 3d

Leucovorin devotee PI seems to have continuous difficulty w/trials. See pp.4-5 from FDA
www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/u...

The technical term for enrolling subjects in a trial that FDA says you may not initiate is BAD.

Exclusive: Meet Richard Frye, who studies leucovorin for autism

Frye has led two placebo-controlled trials of the folate supplement in autistic people; the first was suspended by regulators, and the other has yet to be published.

www.thetransmitter.org

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Erick Turner @eturnermd1.bsky.social · 3d

"To clarify, while Dr. Oz doesn't necessarily have a stake in the forthcoming FDA-approved Leucovorin manufacturer, he does have a financial stake in a non-prescription alternative."

Erick Turner @eturnermd1.bsky.social · 3d

Such a conflict of interest would be very much on brand for this administration.

Erick Turner @eturnermd1.bsky.social · 3d

...but what's likely to happen is that hype will circulate among parents of kids w autism about a new treatment for autism–the nuance about CFD will be overshadowed. Then they'll be asking their doctors if their kids shdn't B treated w this exciting new treatment. I've already had 1 such inquiry.

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Erick Turner @eturnermd1.bsky.social · 3d

And the news release title is misleading with its "treatment for autism symptoms". The text of the release clarifies that the treatment is not for autism per se but rather for cerebral folate deficiency (CFD), which, as @akesselheim.bsky.social pointed out, requires a lumbar puncture to diagnose...

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Erick Turner @eturnermd1.bsky.social · 3d

This still feels strange. Drugs have always been approved on the initiative of drug companies. Here, the FDA is saying *it* initiated the approval. It's as if Makary did this to placate RFK Jr and his odd beliefs about autism. @akesselheim.bsky.social

Erick Turner @eturnermd1.bsky.social · 14d

FDA news release www.fda.gov/news-events/... says:
"The FDA is working with GSK, the innovator of Wellcovorin (leucovorin calcium), on a process to include the essential scientific information needed for the safe and effective use of these drug products for adults and pediatric patients with CFD."

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Senator Ron Wyden @wyden.senate.gov · 11d

Every single one of these clips was taken today in downtown Portland. Portland doesn’t want or need a federal takeover. If Trump insists on sending federal “resources” he can start with funding health care, bridges, affordable housing, and wildfire protection to name a few.

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Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 11d

Portland declares ICE facility out of compliance, demands its clearance. www.portland.gov/mayor/keith-...

City of Portland will issue land use violation notice for ICE facility, triggering process to determine next steps at the site

The City of Portland believes the federal government violated detention conditions of its land use approval 25 times in a 10-month period, according to federal records. Next steps could include fines ...

www.portland.gov

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Sigfreid Skaldrup @sigfreidskaldrup.bsky.social · 11d

Secret photo shows that Portland has already established an autonomous free zone! They're going to call it the Portland Saturday Market!
#WarRavagedPortland
#Portland

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Dougal D'Arcy @mrdarcydog.bsky.social · 11d

War-ravaged Portland, 5 minutes ago

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Dustin @hareandthere.bsky.social · 11d

War ravaged Portland.

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Will Bunch @willbunch.bsky.social · 11d

War-ravaged Portland

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Erick Turner @eturnermd1.bsky.social · 14d

Blog post about the article by the lead author, Stephen Curry (no, not the basketball player!)

occamstypewriter.org/scurry/2025/...

Let’s get negative about scholarly publishing | Reciprocal Space

occamstypewriter.org

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Erick Turner @eturnermd1.bsky.social · 14d

This is weird. Looking up Wellcovorin in Drugs@FDA shows one NDA (prob from long ago) and 4 ANDAs (subsequent generic applications), all by GSK and of them DISCONTINUED. So it seems Wellcovorin is being brought back from the dead.

Erick Turner @eturnermd1.bsky.social · 14d

"Ending publication bias: A values-based approach to surface null and negative results"

Paper out today in PLoS Medicine by many of us who would like to see publication bias reduced or eliminated.

Especially happy that Registered Reports got shout-outs.

journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...

Ending publication bias: A values-based approach to surface null and negative results

Sharing knowledge is a fundamental principle within the scientific community, yet null and negative results are still being underreported. This Consensus View discusses the problem of such publication...

journals.plos.org

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Erick Turner @eturnermd1.bsky.social · 14d

Good question. If/when they make the review available, then we'll see. But so far it sounds like it was all based on that one very small study. Can't be easy to find a reviewer who's willing to recommend approval based on so little.

Erick Turner @eturnermd1.bsky.social · 14d

Indeed, less than 40 patients per group

Erick Turner @eturnermd1.bsky.social · 15d

Dr. Kesselheim @akesselheim.bsky.social
also noted that the study cited by the F.D.A. showed only small improvements in autism symptoms among people with certain folate levels in their spinal fluid.

Liz Szabo @lizszabo.bsky.social · 15d

Before prescribing leucovorin, doctors would first need to determine whether a patient suffered from the deficiency, Dr. Kesselheim said. How they would arrive at that diagnosis short of a risky, expensive spinal tap was not clear, he said.

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/23/h...

F.D.A.’s Approval of a Drug for Autism Upends Review Process

www.nytimes.com

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Liz Szabo @lizszabo.bsky.social · 15d

F.D.A.’s Approval of a Drug for Autism Upends Review Process

www.nytimes.com

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Erick Turner @eturnermd1.bsky.social · 16d

Don't know. It seems the pharma companies have a decision to make...either capitulate or fight it in court, arguing their First Amendment rights are being infringed.

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Erick Turner @eturnermd1.bsky.social · 19d

A couple of new articles on the current FDA leadership's crackdown on Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) advertising.

Excerpt: "...all three of Boehringer’s letters concern a different one of the company’s musical theater-themed Jardiance ads."

I must admit those commercials are very irritating.

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Erick Turner @eturnermd1.bsky.social · 19d

Now Tidmarsh is saying he "never said" he'd abandon Advisory Committee meetings.
www.biospace.com/fda/fda-flip...