Serono to pay $704 million for Illegal Marketing AIDS drug and "voodoolike" clinical trials – NYT

Serono to pay $704 million for Illegal Marketing AIDS drug and “voodoolike” clinical trials – NYT Thu, 20 Oct 2005 Another scandal involving corrupt criminal marketing by a bio-pharmaceutical company that illegally marketed an AIDS test and drug by enlisting physicians to prescribe its drug. The New York Times reports…

Researcher Who Challenged ADHD industry cleared of misconduct charges

Researcher Who Challenged ADHD industry cleared of misconduct charges Sun, 16 Oct 2005 If you thought that academia could not prey to McCarthyite bullying tactics–or could not possibly fall prey to anything like the Salem witch hunts—think again. Dr. Gretchen LeFever, a clinical psychologist and associate professor in the department…

NIH Scientists Caught Concealing Millions in Royalties for Experimental Treatments – AP

NIH Scientists Caught Concealing Millions in Royalties for Experimental Treatments – AP Tue, 11 Jan 2005 The Associated Press has uncovered evidence of scientists and administrators at the National Institutes of Health flagrantly disregarding ethical and legal requirements of financial disclosure: "In all, 916 current and former NIH researchers are…

Disingenous Remarks from AMA President on Tort Reform – letter BMJ / NYT Test a Lawyer’s Ingenuity

Disingenous Remarks from AMA President on Tort Reform – letter BMJ / NYT Test a Lawyer’s Ingenuity Sun, 6 Mar 2005 Responding to an article in the BMJ about President Bush’s bill to restrict class action suits for medical malpractice-http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/330/7490/499-c – the president of the American Medical Association, Dr. John…

Ritalin: Chromosome Abnormalities Occured in All 12 Children / High school prescription drug abuse

Ritalin: Chromosome Abnormalities Occured in All 12 Children / High school prescription drug abuse Fri, 11 Mar 2005 Parents and public health policy makers have cause for concern about the finding of a study conducted at the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center. WebMD reports that all 12 children…

House Votes to Prevent Pharma-tied Scientists on FDA Advisory Panels

House Votes to Prevent Pharma-tied Scientists on FDA Advisory Panels Thu, 9 Jun 2005 The House passed an amendment introduced by Congressman Maurice Hinchey (NY) to rein in pharmaceutical industry influence on FDA advisory panels whose recdommendations have resulted in the approval of lethal drugs. Below Merrill Goozner write: “The…

FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford Resigns – AP

FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford Resigns – AP Fri, 23 Sep 2005 The Associated Press reports that the embattled FDA commissioner, Lester Crawford, a veterenarian, who headed the agency since Marc McLellan moved over to the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, has resigned effective immediately. Contact: Vera Hassner Sharav 212-595-8974…

Cognititve Therapy Halves Risk of Second Suicide Attempt – JAMA

Cognititve Therapy Halves Risk of Second Suicide Attempt – JAMA Tue, 6 Sep 2005 A study tested the effect of cognitive therapy in reducing the risk of a second suicide attempt by following 120 people who had attempted suicide. They were followed for 18 months–far longer than drug trials. According…

Phrma found new market for psychotropic drugs: Toledo Zoo

Phrma found new market for psychotropic drugs: Toledo Zoo Wed, 14 Sep 2005 The Toledo Blade reports: “Now that humans have warmly embraced citizenship in the Prozac Nation, zoo animals are making tentative gallops, flights, and knuckle-walks into the world of psychotropic pharmaceuticals.” However, these drugs have nasty side effects…

NIH Chief Calls for Ethics Summit to address Conflicts of Interest in Medical Research – LA Times

NIH Chief Calls for Ethics Summit to address Conflicts of Interest in Medical Research – LA Times Mon, 14 Feb 2005 AHRP applauds Dr. Elias Zerhouni, director of the National Institutes of Health, for stepping up to the plate as a leader of an agency that will award about $21…