While this is no suprise to those of us who work in or near academic medicine, the prestigious JAMA is bringing attention to 2 particulary aggregious examples of PhRMA's shenanigans with research
A number of unethical researchers have been found to be allowing their name to be attributed to research results that are ghostwritten by PhRMA companies or their hired surrogate research firms. The following is an excerpt of the editorial in today's JAMA.
The profession of medicine, in every aspect—clinical, education, and research—has been inundated with profound influence from the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. This has occurred because physicians have allowed it to happen, and it is time to stop.
Two articles in this issue of JAMA provide a glimpse of one company's apparent misrepresentation of research data and its manipulation of clinical research articles and clinical reviews; such information and articles influence the education and clinical practice of physicians and other health professionals. The direct influence of for-profit companies on education and clinical practice has been well documented, so this Editorial deals primarily with clinical research.
The first study is about ghostwriting
The study by Ross et al1 illustrates that clinical trial articles and review articles related to rofecoxib frequently were written by unacknowledged authors who were employees of for-profit information industries, and often attributed first (or primary) authorship to academically affiliated investigators who either had little to do with the study or review or who did not disclose financial support from the company.
and the second is about how Merck conspired to hide unfavorable results.
The study by Psaty and Kronmal,2 which is based on analysis of published articles, information provided by the company to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the company's own internal analysis, shows how Merck may have misrepresented the risk-benefit profile of rofecoxib in clinical trials involving patients with Alzheimer disease or dementia.
The full citation is at this link JAMA Vol. 299 No. 15, April 16, 2008
So this is the research that our high medication prices buys us? 15% of every dollar you and I spend on medications is for research, while 28% goes to profit, and 25% to marketing (Ask your doctor about...)and administration (golden parachutes and million dollar bonuses).
This is what happens when short term stock prices trump long term corporate citizenship.
BTW, OPUS nailed this on Sunday