Strengthening the integrity of qualitative research in the Australian Journal of Rural Health

As an editorial board, one of our guiding academic principles is to support researchers to publish research that is high quality and follows the highest standards in the reporting of the findings. Published research, whether good or bad, ultimately influences health care policy and patient care. The controversy surrounding a recent Lancet paper illustrates this. The article reported observation of an association between hydroxychloroquine and increased deaths of people with COVID‐19. This resulted in the suspension of all global trials of hydroxychloroquine. The paper was subsequently retracted due to inconsistencies in the data reported.1