---
type: Conversation
title: Private channel session 362
description: "slack conversation, 12 messages, 2020-09-09."
tags:
  - conversation
  - slack
medium: slack
message_count: 12
started_at: "2020-09-09T08:17:51"
ended_at: "2020-09-09T08:17:51"
duration_seconds: 0
sources:
  - { id: slack_pm, resource: /sources/slack-pm.md, title: Slack / Private Message Drop, author: "process:senate-hsgac-release" }
generated: { by: randpaul-corpus-pipeline/1.0, at: "2026-08-01T12:42:27Z" }
status: stable
---

A slack conversation of 12 messages spanning n/a.

# Metadata

- **Started:** 2020-09-09T08:17:51
- **Ended:** 2020-09-09T08:17:51
- **Duration:** n/a
- **Participants:** 3
- **Source:** [slack_pm](/sources/slack-pm.md)
- **Pages:** 156-158

# Participants

* [Andrew Rambaut](/people/andrew-rambaut.md)
* [Edward C. Holmes](/people/edward-c-holmes.md)
* [Kristian G. Andersen](/people/kristian-g-andersen.md)
* [Robert F. Garry](/people/robert-f-garry.md)

# Transcript

**[2020-09-09T08:17:51] Robert F. Garry:** Attached please find a formal request for retraction of the Nature Medicine article, "The proximal origin of SARS-CoV-2." Representatives of Nature Medicine, the Springer Group, the authors and their associated institutions, and relevant medical journal affiliates have been copied in this request. To avoid a cascade of confusing replies, BCC has beenutilized. Replies to me are welcome, but not required. The retraction request should speak for itself. Because the article may be tied to USG grants (NIH grant U19AI135995, U19AI135995, U54 HG007480 andU19AI142790), HHS and NIH have been copied to assist with final integrity. Where no clear ethics boards or oversight boards were available, the…

**[2020-09-09T08:17:51] Andrew Rambaut:** That is a made up name surely?

**[2020-09-09T08:17:51] Andrew Rambaut:** If we retracted it we might get our number 1 Altmetric rank back?

**[2020-09-09T08:17:51] Robert F. Garry:** pseudonym - probably

**[2020-09-09T08:17:51] Robert F. Garry:** but a published author https://www.giladorigami.com/origami-database-book/1045/Origami-on-the-Edge-by-Xander-D-Arena

**[2020-09-09T08:17:51] Robert F. Garry:** we might get our number 1 Altmetric rank back? - hmmm - something "to consider...

**[2020-09-09T08:17:51] Robert F. Garry:** "Fortunately," my university is used to crazy people (mostly fueled or actually sent by fake covid survivor Curefinder) sending attack emails my direction. Good thing "Xander" appears not to have a clue about FOIA, actually something that can't be round-filed.

**[2020-09-09T08:17:51] Andrew Rambaut:** Well also he seems to be claiming that (what he says) are flawed arguments is grounds for retraction - these are simply our assertions based on our interpretation of the data. That is simply a case for an academic reply.

**[2020-09-09T08:17:51] Andrew Rambaut:** His Origami book looks cool but I won't be getting it now.

**[2020-09-09T08:17:51] Kristian G. Andersen:** I'm convinced though [shared file(s): Request for Retraction Figure 1.jpg]

**[2020-09-09T08:17:51] Andrew Rambaut:** "crafted by man using origami"

**[2020-09-09T08:17:51] Kristian G. Andersen:** I know - it's pretty perfect. Gotta say though - I'd expect more pizzazz from somebody who wrote a book on origami...