Healthy Skepticism Library item: 16143

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

Siva N.
Top UCLA surgeon is demoted after failing to disclose conflicts of interests
BMJ. 2009 Jul 29; 339:
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/339/jul29_1/b3071

Abstract:

A top orthopaedic surgeon from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has been demoted after failing to disclose financial links with the medical companies whose products he was researching.

The Wall Street Journal (http://online.wsj.com, 22 Jul, “Surgeon faces probe of research”) reports that Jeffrey Wang allegedly failed to tell the university about payments of $459 500 he received between 2004 and 2007 from the companies. Charles Grassley, the US Republican senator who has pursued unreported payments by drug companies to doctors and researchers, is said to have written to the university’s vice chancellor about the payments.

Professor Wang was removed from his position as director of UCLA’s Comprehensive Spine Center. He remains at the university but is currently undergoing an internal investigation by the university.

In a statement the university said: “UCLA has appointed an independent committee charged with reviewing whether any of the potential conflicts-of-interests identified . . .