Healthy Skepticism Library item: 16472

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: news

PharmaTimes Great Oxford Debate - 2009
Pharma Times 2009
http://www.pharmatimes.com/Competitions/Great-Oxford-Debate/2009debate.aspx

Full text:

Many academics, industry critics and regulators show concern that pharmaceutical companies not only invent, manufacture and sell medicines but they are responsible for running the clinical trials that measure their effectiveness and safety. Is this a conflict of interest? Is this avoidable? Who else could finance the research and their clinical development?

This house believes: “That there is an unacceptable conflict of interest when pharma conducts trials on its own drugs”

Proposing the motion:

Dr Jeffrey Drazen, Editor in Chief, NEJM
Dr Fiona Godlee, Editor in chief, BMJ
Dr Ben Goldacre, ‘Bad Science’ columnist for The Guardian.

Opposing the motion:

Dr Robert Ruffolo, Former President of Research, Wyeth
Dr Scott Gottlieb, Practising Physician & Resident Fellow at the American Enterprise Insitute and former FDA Deputy Commissioner for Medical & Scientific Affairs
Professor Vincent Lawton CBE, Portfolio of Non-Executive Directorships and Healthcare Consultant and former MD of MSD UK & Ireland

This year’s PharmaTimes Great Oxford Debate takes place on 23 September 2009.