Drug company links test journal's policy

Article Abstract:

A leading article in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) related to an anti-obesity drug dexfenfluramine has raked up controversy due to the authors' links with the drug manufacturer. The writeup violates the journal's policy of prohibiting leading articles by authors having ongoing financial links with the manufacturers of products discussed by them. Significantly, the competitor journals find NEJM's policy unsound as the pool of qualified experts on a topic is generally small. These journals have been circumventing such problems by merely disclosing the author-manufacturer ties.

Usage, Laws, regulations and rules, Reports, Expertise, Weight reducing preparations, Anti-obesity agents

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Gene therapy pushes on, despite doubts

Article Abstract:

It was concluded at a conference, arranged by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), on in utero gene therapy that the practice should not be attempted on humans until many significant scientific and ethical issues are resolved. The NIH will continue to revise their guidelines on gene therapy and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seems keen to move ahead. The conference emphasized the dearth of animal data and pointed out the risks to humans, but also considered the compelling impetus to try therapy for severe diseases that can lead to death, before or just after, birth.

Conferences, meetings and seminars, Gene therapy

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Journals joust over policy on authors' interests

Article Abstract:

The New England Journal of Medicine's issue on the violation of its editorial policy inflicted by guest writers Joan Manson of Harvard Medical School and Gerald Faich of University of Pennsylvania Medical School was criticized by Epidemiology publication editor, Kenneth Rothman. Rothman posits that an editorial policy cannot aim for objectivity by publicly debauching every guest author with financial connections to the product being reviewed as this is congruent to ridiculing every honest scientific conduct.

Analysis, Ethical aspects, Conflict of interests (Agency), Editorials, Conflicts of interest, Medical writing

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