Healthy Skepticism Library item: 2393

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

Holmes DR Jr, Firth BG, James A, Winslow R, Hodgson PK, Gamble GL, Popp RL, Harrington RA.
Conflict of interest
Am Heart J 2004 Feb; 147:(2):228-37

Abstract:

The clinical research enterprise is increasingly scrutinized, in part because of the issue of conflict of interest. The issue is broad and its implications touch on a wide range of concerns, from the safety of patient care to the viability of a large industry. Numerous constituencies are affected by conflict of interest, and representatives of all of them convened in November 2002 for a one-and-a-half day discussion of the issues as well as possible solutions to both the perception and the actuality of such conflict. Participants included medical journal editors, news reporters, physician investigators, representatives of institutional conflict-of-interest oversight committees, representatives of the medical products industry, and Federal regulators. The resulting manuscript provides a review of the issues as well as desirable ways for each of the players to monitor themselves; each section thus contains provocative recommendations for eliminating conflict of interest to ensure that our vibrant health care system continues to foster exciting new advances to improve patient care.