I would like to make it clear that I played no part in instigating a Facebook uprising over my research (Nature 472, 410–411; 2011).
I am not an activist but a scientist who has published 27 peer-reviewed studies of chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) and its relationship to multiple sclerosis in 18 interdisciplinary journals.
This research was funded by the Italian government and banking foundations, and grants were peer-reviewed by scientific committees under the usual rules.
I do not believe that Facebook can influence the diversion of funds to change research priorities or the judgement of the scientific community.
CCSVI is a pathological condition first described in the literature two years ago. A Google Scholar search reveals that CCSVI has been cited more than 2,000 times in published scientific papers. Evidently, CCSVI is a hot topic — it is interesting precisely because it is controversial.
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Funding: Paolo Zamboni received equipment and technical assistance from Esaote Biomedica, Genoa, Italy. Patent applications: Paolo Zamboni does not have financial competing interests but has the moral rights of the intellectual property of the following: PCT/IT2008/000129 filed 26 February 2008; PCT/IB2008/000623 filed 7 March 2008; TO2008A000654 filed 4 September 2008; TO2009A000633 filed 11 August 2009; PCT/IB2010/053901 filed 31 August 2010.
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Zamboni, P. Can Facebook influence funding?. Nature 473, 452 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/473452e
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/473452e