January 28, 2026
Science vs Ego: Baby Edition
Did a celebrated researcher obscure a baby's poisoning?
Commenters slam 'made-up case' claim, demand accountability from big-name journals
TLDR: A newborn died after his mother took prescribed codeine; toxicology showed opioid poisoning. The comments erupt: some allege a case was “made up,” others slam big journals and demand real science, while skeptics doubt a breast milk overdose—making this a flashpoint for trust in medical research.
A heartbreaking story of a Toronto newborn, Tariq, who died after his mom took prescribed Tylenol 3 (which contains the opioid codeine) has turned the internet into a courtroom. Toxicology said opioid poisoning, and a celebrated expert from the Motherisk program at SickKids weighed in. But the community is fixated on the meta-drama: did star researchers—and even top journals like The Lancet—let ego trump evidence?
The spiciest moment: one commenter drops a jaw‑breaker quote—“Oh, we made it up”—allegedly tied to a case discussion, and you could hear the collective gasp through the screen. Skeptics pile on, saying a breast milk overdose strains belief and should’ve been dissected under a microscope, not waved through on reputation. Another camp rallies behind science itself: “The Scientific Method is the only BS detector we have,” calling for lies and laziness to be burnt off by real scrutiny.
Then comes the mood swing: “ambition overtook integrity,” one reader laments, while another tosses a breezy “great read” like a mint after a crime scene. The memes? “Science vs Ego,” “peer review needs a breathalyzer,” and “breast milk isn’t moonshine.” The crowd wants accountability, receipts, and fewer hero scientists—more hard questions.
Key Points
- •A healthy newborn in Toronto died suddenly 11 days after birth; initial medical visits noted somnolence but no major concerns.
- •Emergency responders attempted resuscitation for about forty minutes; the infant was pronounced dead at the Hospital for Sick Children.
- •Autopsy found no anatomical cause of death; toxicology later showed codeine-and-morphine poisoning.
- •The mother had been prescribed Tylenol No. 3 postpartum and reduced her dosage due to drowsiness.
- •The coroner’s office consulted pediatric toxicologist Gideon Koren, head of the Motherisk program, who ruled out foul play and reviewed the toxicology findings.