Hygiena 2025, 70(4):144-146 | DOI: 10.21101/hygiena.a1892

Confusion in evidence-based medicine – example of nicotine

Eva Králíková1, 2
1 Univerzita Karlova, 1. lékařská fakulta, Ústav hygieny a epidemiologie a Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice v Praze, Praha, Česká republika
2 Univerzita Karlova, 1. lékařská fakulta, III. interní klinika, Centrum pro závislé na tabáku a Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice v Praze, Praha, Česká republika

Evidence-based medicine, or EBM, is a concept or system that needs no explanation; we all follow it or should follow it. But what if even in reputable journals with high impact factor there are publications on the same topic with completely controversial results and conclusions? How to make sense of it? The topic of nicotine is unfortunately the most striking example so far, and biased information also has a major impact on morbidity and mortality.

Keywords: evidence-based medicine (EBM), nicotine

Received: August 2025; Accepted: October 10, 2025; Published: December 31, 2025  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Králíková E. Confusion in evidence-based medicine – example of nicotine. Hygiena. 2025;70(4):144-146. doi: 10.21101/hygiena.a1892.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Notley C. The World Conference on Tobacco Control-Mixed Perspectives and Controversies. Nicotine Tob Res. 2025 Sep 23;27(10):1671-2. Go to original source...
    2. Horowitz MA, Taylor D. Addiction and physical dependence are not the same thing. Lancet Psychiatry. 2023 Aug;10(8):e23. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(23)00230-4. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    3. GOV.UK. Stopping the start: our new plan to create a smokefree generation [Internet]. London: DHSC; 2023 [cited 2025 Aug 4]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/stopping-the-start-our-new-plan-to-create-a-smokefree-generation/stopping-the-start-our-new-plan-to-create-a-smokefree-generation.
    4. Nicotine replacement therapy - Essential Medicines List [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; [cited 2025 Aug 4]. Available from: https://www.who.int/data/gho/indicator-metadata-registry/imr-details/4575.
    5. Schroter S, Black N, Evans S, Godlee F, Osorio L, Smith R. What errors do peer reviewers detect, and does training improve their ability to detect them? J R Soc Med. 2008 Oct;101(10):507-14. Go to original source...
    6. Svarch-Pérez A, Paz-González MV, Ruiz-Juárez C, Olvera-Chacón JC, Larios-Solís A, Castro-Gaytán S, et al. Methods for a non-targeted qualitative analysis and quantification of benzene, toluene, and xylenes by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of e-liquids and aerosols in commercially available electronic cigarettes in Mexico. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024 Sep 30;21(10):1308. doi: 10.3390/ijerph21101308. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    7. Sussman RA, Gómez-Ruiz H, Farsalinos K. Comment on Svarch-Pérez et al. Methods for a non-targeted qualitative analysis and quantification of benzene, toluene, and xylenes by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of e-liquids and aerosols in commercially available electronic cigarettes in Mexico. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21, 1308. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025 Jun 30;22(7):1049. doi: 10.3390/ijerph22071049. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    8. Svarch-Pérez A, Paz-González MV, Ruiz-Juárez C, Olvera-Chacón JC, Larios-Solís A, Castro-Gaytán S, et al. Reply to Sussman et al. Comment on "Svarch-Pérez et al. Methods for a non-targeted qualitative analysis and quantification of benzene, toluene, and xylenes by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of e-liquids and aerosols in commercially available electronic cigarettes in Mexico. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21, 1308". Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025 Jun 30;22(7):1050. doi: 10.3390/ijerph22071050. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    9. Van Noorden R. More than 10,000 research papers were retracted in 2023 - a new record. Nature. 2023 Dec;624(7992):479-81. Go to original source...
    10. Steen RG. Retractions in the scientific literature: is the incidence of research fraud increasing? J Med Ethics. 2011 Apr;37(4):249-53. Go to original source...
    11. Lu SF, Jin GZ, Uzzi B, Jones B. The retraction penalty: evidence from the Web of Science. Sci Rep. 2013 Nov 6;3:3146. doi: 10.1038/srep03146. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    12. Kühberger A, Streit D, Scherndl T. Self-correction in science: The effect of retraction on the frequency of citations. PLoS One. 2022 Dec 7;17(12):e0277814. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277814. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    13. COPE Council. COPE Guidelines: Retraction Guidelines [Internet]. Hampshire: Committee on Publication Ethics; 2025 [cited 2025 Oct 1]. Available: from: https://doi.org/10.24318/cope.2019.1.4. Go to original source...
    14. Risk of bias tools [Internet]. Bristol: riskofbias.info; 2025 [cited 2025 Oct 1]. Available: from: https://www.riskofbias.info/welcome.

    Return to the content