Healthy Skepticism Library item: 15597

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

A really serious conflict
Nature Medicine 2009 May 9; 15:463 - 464
http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v15/n5/full/nm0509-463.html

Abstract:

Not all financial interests in drug discovery are detrimental, and many are essential for its success. But focusing on perceived conflicts of interest may cause true scientific corruption to go unnoticed.

Transforming a laboratory finding into a new medicine involves numerous steps and stakeholders. In a simple case, a researcher discovers and publishes a new target, and an academic or industrial organization decides to commercialize it.