Healthy Skepticism Library item: 2473

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Publication type: Journal Article

Detsky A[AU].
Dr Detsky replies
NEJM 2002 Jun 13; 346:(24):1920

Abstract:

As senior author of the article in question, I am taking the liberty of responding to Dr. Leenen’s letter. He is correct in noting that an episode of The Fifth Estate was one of the events that motivated my colleagues and me to pursue research on conflicts of interest in the debate over calcium-channel antagonists. By performing this study, we did not mean to imply that the allegations made on that program were true. We apologize to Dr. Leenen if it appeared to him and others that by simply stating that this program motivated us, we were endorsing its conclusions or methods. We certainly did not intend to embarrass him. I believe there is an important lesson to be derived from Dr. Leenen’s experience. Academic physicians (or anyone, for that matter) should be very cautious about appearing on an investigative news segment. It is impossible to know the reporter’s true agenda or how the interview will be edited. [full text]

Keywords:
*letter to the editor Canada conflict-of-interest relationship with pharmaceutical industry safety media ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: LINKS BETWEEN HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND INDUSTRY