Comments on: Glaxo CEO Knew Doc Was Intimidated http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/09/avandiagate-jp-knew-doctor-was-intimidated/ News, Comment and Conversation Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:13:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Hank http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/09/avandiagate-jp-knew-doctor-was-intimidated/#comment-20709 Hank Thu, 27 Sep 2007 20:39:59 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/09/avandiagate-jp-knew-doctor-was-intimidated/#comment-20709 This kind of tactic appears to be more common than we realize. Many will recall the threats that Dr. Gurkipal Singh received, as did others at Stanford, when he said things that Merck didn't like. I personally know scientists who have been offered the carrot and not the stick - monetary gifts for _not_ pursing a line of research which could lead to results that might spell trouble for a particular drug. I'm happy to say my colleagues did not accept the bribe. In any case, this kind of stuff is an excellent example of the kind of behavior that an improved FDA, registering trials, etc. will not touch. If researchers can be bribed or intimidated into doing or not doing certain kinds of studies, it doesn't matter what is registered and what isn't. This kind of tactic appears to be more common than we realize. Many will recall the threats that Dr. Gurkipal Singh received, as did others at Stanford, when he said things that Merck didn’t like. I personally know scientists who have been offered the carrot and not the stick - monetary gifts for _not_ pursing a line of research which could lead to results that might spell trouble for a particular drug. I’m happy to say my colleagues did not accept the bribe.

In any case, this kind of stuff is an excellent example of the kind of behavior that an improved FDA, registering trials, etc. will not touch. If researchers can be bribed or intimidated into doing or not doing certain kinds of studies, it doesn’t matter what is registered and what isn’t.

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