Healthy Skepticism Library item: 14477

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Tanne JH.
US university sets up conflict of interest office after investigation into drug company payments
BMJ 2008 Oct 21; 337:a2200 epub ahead of print
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/337/oct21_3/a2200

Abstract:

Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, said that it was setting up a new office to oversee conflict of interest issues.

The US Senate Finance Committee is investigating Charles Nemeroff, chairman of the university’s department of psychiatry and behavioural sciences, for allegedly not reporting payments from drug companies.

The university said that the new central office “will help us ensure strong conflict of interest policies and procedures university-wide.”

The National Institutes of Health froze a $9.3m (£5.4m; 6.9m), five year grant to Dr Nemeroff on 15 August. Dr Nemeroff temporarily stepped down as department chairman, although he remains a professor.

Emory University received $411m in research funding last year, of which $251m came from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), said a university spokesman, Jeffrey Molter.

The university told its researchers about new rules on financial disclosure for those working under new and pending grants from NIH. The university’s new office . . .