Blinding in Virus Detection: Assessing False Positives and Methodological Rigor

The reliability of SARS-CoV-2 detection via PCR and amplicon-based whole-genome sequencing (WGS) depends on rigorous experimental controls, including blinding, structured falsifiability, and transparent reporting of uncertainty—principles recently reinforced by the White House’s Restoring the Gold Standard in Science (2025). This study evaluates the risks of false positives due to contamination, amplification artifacts, and non-specific detection in the absence of complete blinding. This study analyzes a blinded panel of control samples to assess methodological specificity, emphasizing the need for skepticism toward assumptions, acceptance of negative results.