In Ukraine, a platform was launched with a database of expert scientists and doctors that mass media can consult with about COVID-19

NGO INSCIENCE launched the platform “Scientific method”, the main goal of which is promoting scientific method for the topics of science and medicine, in particular COVID-19, MediaSapiens reports.

The website gathered a database of scientists, video lectures of researchers, popular science journalists and bloggers, medical doctors, and an instruction on how to verify the validity of information. 

“The scientists comment only each fifth science-related news. This is one of the reasons why people can refer to stereotypes and made-up stories notions instead of scientific facts. For this reason, we created the largest database of scientists and professional doctors who are open to being asked by mass media for a comment”, said the co-founder and partner of the organization INSCIENCE, manager of the project “Scientific method” Anna Orekhova.

The team of “Scientific method” was joined by microbiologist, founder of the project “Mikrob i Ya” ("Germ and Me") Olena Livinska, author of popular scientific channel in Ukrainian “Damned Rationalist” Artem Albul, co-founder and chief editor of popular science magazine  “Kunsht” Kyrylo Bezkorovainyi, and the doctor, medical expert of UNICEF in Ukraine Kateryna Bulavinova. 

For the context, at times of the pandemic the authorities not only imposed monetaryt penalties for violating the rules of quarantine, but also composed misdemeanor protocols for entries published in the network. The reason provided is that many of them spread fake news about COVID-19 and instigate panic.