News tagged with 'Conflict-Of-Interest'

Universities are often not told about the money their academics receive from device makers as consultants and product developers.

The Washington Post offered to lobbyists, lawmakers and corporations, nonconfrontational and off-the-record access to reporters for $25,000 to $250,000 -  a direct conflict-of-interest to the Code of Ethics followed by American journalists  - "Deny favored treatment".  

Young people in Eastern Iowa appear to be overdosing on prescription drugs for ADHD. About 2.5 million kids are on the stimulants, with use increasing, despite a recently published article that suggests a link between the medications and sudden cardiac death. 

Dr. Tim Kuklo made $800,000 from medical device maker, Medtronic, for work as a consultant and during the time he shopped a professional article on a Medtronic product for publishing. The Army says the article was "falsified" by Kuklo, who is no longer an Army surgeon. 

Dr. Margaret Hamburg, the woman named by the Obama administration to head the Food and Drug Administration, will first have to unload some of her wealth, estimated to be between $20 to $40 million, making her among the wealthies of the president's new appointments.  

After the public embarassment at Harvard Medical School concerning faculty on the receiving end of lucrative consulting fees, the school and its teaching facilities are revisiting and revising conflict-of-interest policies.  

The Wisconsin Medical Society has joined a growing number of professional societies, academic medical centers and legislators that agree physician gifts from the pharmaceutical industry are questionable, if not unacceptable forms of influence.

Dr. Martin Philbert heads an FDA expert panel about to make a pivotal ruling about the safety of the bisphenol A- the plasticizer found in baby bottles and consumer products. The FDA and Congress is looking into why he failed to disclose a $5 million donation from industry.

Drug makers are suddenly eager to disclose their payments to doctors and researchers for consulting, and speaking services as a federal government disclosure act is close to becoming law. Consumers will have more information to make informed decisions about health care and influence.

Pfizer pulled ads featuring Robert Jarvik six months ago after a Congressional investigation began into false and misleading advertising by the drug industry. Now actual patients will be used and expect to see more direct-to-customer ads for symptoms that don't have to spend precious ad time on the side effects of specific drugs. 

Being a consultant for a drug company pays well, but the FDA, following public pressure, doesn't think it looks too good.  The agency has just announced that advisory committee members, who recommend the approval of drugs for the FDA, must not have taken more than $50,000 from the drug company before them.  

Doctors receive upwards of six and seven-figure payments per year in royalties, consulting deals and speaking fees from artificial knee and hip manufacturers. Many critics question whether the payments present a conflict of interest by distorting doctors' judgments on how best to treat their patients.

Patients are hurt by the conflicts-of-interest between drugmakers and doctors, who are not required to reveal that they are paid consultants for drug companies. Legislation to address the problem is pending.

For migraine sufferers, drawing the curtains and taking a medication works for some. But a couple of new studies look at electrical stimulation to the brain to interrupt the course of a migraine.