Tuesday, March 23, 2010

JAMA - Psychiatrists' Relationships With Pharmaceutical Companies Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution?

Psychiatrists have rarely enjoyed a surplus of public trust. During the past 3 years, public trust in psychiatry has been further undermined with accusations that several leading academic psychiatrists failed to disclose financial conflicts of interest. Sen Charles Grassley (R, Iowa), ranking member of the Finance Committee, has thus far accused 7 psychiatrists of failing to disclose income from pharmaceutical companies. As public trust in the pharmaceutical industry has plummeted, the close connection between leading psychiatrists and the pharmaceutical industry, once a sign of progress for the profession, is now cited as evidence of corrupt influence.

JAMA

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Insel should talk.

NIH has several large pharma companies on a scientific advisory board guiding where they do research. Also NIH is working with FDA to train pediatric pharmacologists (MDs). Of course there are the majority of these will have to go into private practice where they are likely to be helping increase drug use in children.