Data Now Available

The data for Lancet II (but not, it appears, Lancet I) is now available.

Six months have passed since the publication of the study and we feel the time is now right to make the data set available to academic and other scientific groups whom we judge have the technical capacity to objectively analyze the data.

...

These data will be released on request to recognized academic institutions or scientific groups with biostatistical and epidemiological analytic capacity.

1. The data will be provided to organizations or groups without publicly stated views that would cause doubt about their objectivity in analyzing the data.

For someone like me who wants access to the data, the concern, of course, is that there is wiggle room in the definitions for "technical capacity" and "biostatistical and epidemiological analytic capacity." By any reasonable standard, IQSS and KCM (my firm) would qualify in terms of statistical sophistication, but who knows? I have submitted requests using each organization on the theory that if IQSS does not meet their criteria, then KCM will (or vice versa). My hope is to get this resolved in the next day or two so that I can revise my abstract accordingly. The deadline for doing so is April 11.