Science by press conference: what the Heinsberg Study on COVID-19 demonstrates about the dangers of fast, open science.

COVID-19 has accelerated calls for fast, open science to inform policy responses. However, when contradictory or false results become public, the negative consequences of this becomes hard to contain. Nate Breznau discusses the Heinsberg Study into COVID-19, outlining how the lack of appropriate scientific scrutiny led to policy responses that were misinformed and dangerous. Breznau argues that for fast science to be reliable, it needs to be underscored by access and transparency. Otherwise, it risks becoming fake news.