Medical Experts: Financial ties to Pharmaceutical Industry
published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (2/02) queried
medical experts who write guidelines for treating conditions like heart
disease, depression and diabetes. The research found that nearly 9 out of 10
experts have financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry, and the ties are
almost never disclosed.
Is this just a way for medical researchers to supplement
bare-bones salaries?
Or does it place them in the pocket of the pharmaceutical
industry?
What are the ethical problems with this?
After all, if we require that researchers sever all
financial ties, the field would be even less attractive than it is now. But,
researchers may be unwilling or unable to bite the hand that feeds them. What
do you think?
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