Healthy Skepticism Library item: 18839

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

Lenzer J
Drug companies are accused of using unsuitable doctors to promote their products
BMJ 2010 Oct 26; 341:
http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c6026.extract

Abstract:

Hundreds of doctors who have been disciplined for ethical breaches or had their medical licences revoked are on drug companies’ payrolls as speakers and consultants, an investigative report released on 18 October says.

The wide ranging investigation took months and was the product of a collaboration between the investigative news organisation ProPublica, a non-profit group based in New York, and five other news outlets: National Public Radio, the Chicago Tribune, the Boston Globe, Consumer Reports, and the US Public Broadcasting Service’s Nightly Business Report.

Doctors cited in the report include a pain physician who had performed “unnecessary” …