Healthy Skepticism Library item: 19184

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

McHenry L
Of sophists and spin-doctors: industry-sponsored ghostwriting and the crisis of academic medicine
Mens Sana Monogr 2010 Jan; 8:(1):129-45
http://www.msmonographs.org/article.asp?issn=0973-1229;year=2010;volume=8;issue=1;spage=129;epage=145;aulast=McHenry

Abstract:

Ghostwriting for medical journals
has become a major, but largely
invisible, factor contributing to
the problem of credibility in
academic medicine. In this paper I
argue that the pharmaceutical
marketing objectives and use of
medical communication firms in the
production of ghostwritten articles
constitute a new form of sophistry.
After identifying three distinct
types of medical ghostwriting, I
survey the known cases of
ghostwriting in the literature and
explain the harm done to academic
medicine and to patients. Finally, I
outline steps to address the problem
and restore the integrity of the
medical literature.