NIH researcher at center of new conflict controversy

John Carroll — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 08:42:56 -0400

A senior NIH researcher is at the center of a fresh round of charges regarding a potential conflict of interest between his financial interests and his research work. Charles Natanson penned an article in JAMA criticizing the safety risks presented by experimental blood substitutes. But he failed to mention that he is a co-inventor of a technology in development at NIH that may make the products safer.

That link drew a rebuke from executives at Biopure and Northfield, which have been struggling to obtain approvals for their products. Biopure CEO Zafiris Zafirelis called the research "seriously flawed." Natanson told the Wall Street Journal that the omission was an error of judgment and took responsibility for it. But he also added that he stands by the study's findings.

- read the story in the Wall Street Journal

Harvard officials to probe psychiatrists’ drug payments

John Carroll — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 08:41:39 -0400

Officials at Mass General and Harvard Medical School have opened an investigation into the financial relationship between three prominent psychiatrists and the drug companies they did key research work for after Senator Charles Grassley accused them of hiding potential conflicts of interest. According to a report in the New York Times, the three had revealed that drug companies had paid them several hundred thousand dollars over a period of seven years. But when pressed, the figure grew to $1 million to $1.6 million for each. The three men involved are Joseph Biederman, Timothy E. Wilens, and Thomas Spencer, and the report notes that the full amount they were paid may be even higher than what the three are now admitting.

The Times' article highlights the prominent role that the three psychiatrists played in promoting an explosion of prescriptions for ADHD drugs. An NIH official says any violation of policy will not be tolerated.

- read the story in the Boston Globe
- check out the report in the New York Times

conflict of interests

NIH researcher at center of new conflict controversy

Harvard officials to probe psychiatrists’ drug payments