COI Coyness

Here’s the first paragraph from the story in today’s Wall Street Journal on the continuing controversy swirling around academic research and pharmaceutical industry funding:

“WASHINGTON -- Some major universities are reviewing the way they handle funding from drug companies in the wake of criticism from Sen. Chuck Grassley, who is pressing the federal agency that controls government health-research money to get tougher on universities that don't disclose ties to the industry.”

It seems that some academic researchers are being either sloppy or stupid about disclosing research grants they receive from industry.

Giving these folks the benefit of the doubt may be the right thing to do (you know –like “innocent until proven guilty”) but it ain’t gonna happen in today’s shoot-first-and-ask-qustions-later environment – and it could very lead to individual researchers (and their institutions) losing NIH funding.

Here’s what Senator Grassley has to say about the matter:
 
"Starting today, the NIH could send a signal that business as usual is over … The simple threat of losing prestigious and sizable NIH grants would force accurate financial disclosure."

The Senator is right.  But the issue is quickly morphing beyond mere issues of filling out the required forms in at timely manner.

Consider the comments of Jerome Kassirer, the purer-than-pure (despite mega-millions in pharmaceutical advertising revenue), former editor of the New England Journal, "Universities have been treading on dangerous ground with their increasingly complex financial ties to industry.  They are worried that these things could ultimately affect their tax-free status."

Get the picture?

(Note to Jerry – you may be next.)

For more on the COI controversy, please attend our September 22nd conference, "Industry Support for Continuing Education of Health Care Professionals:  An Evidence-Based Evaluation."  There's no cost -- and here's the complete invitation.