Healthy Skepticism Library item: 537

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

McCarthy M.
Sponsors lose fight to stop thyroxine study publication.
Lancet 1997 Apr 19; 349:(9059):1149
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Abstract:

Boots Pharmaceuticals, makers of Synthroid (thyroid replacement) contracted with Betty Dong, a researcher at the University of California-San Francisco, to undertake a study to show that generic forms of Synthroid were not bioequivalent to it. When Dong’s study showed otherwise Boots stopped publication of the article and threatened to sue her for contract violation. The campaign to discredit Dong continued after Knoll bought Boots in 1995. Evenually the incident came to light through a front page story in the Wall Street Journal. The study by Dong was finally published in JAMA.

Keywords:
*news story United States drug company sponsored research conflict of interest academic freedom relationship between researchers, academic institutions and industry Betty Dong Boots Knoll ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: LINKS BETWEEN HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND INDUSTRY INFLUENCE OF PROMOTION: PUBLICATION SPONSORSHIP: RESEARCH