NIH Suspends Big Grant To Emory University
7 CommentsBy Ed Silverman // October 14th, 2008 // 4:02 pm
The NIH has frozen a $9.3 million, five-year grant to Emory University in response to an investigation by the US Senate Finance Committee into alleged conflicts of interest among academic researchers who receive government grants and also do work for drugmakers (this is the grant).
The move, which was first reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, comes after Charles Nemeroff (pictured left) stepped down as chair of the Emory psychiatry department. Nemeroff is being investigated for earning more than $2.8 million in consulting arrangements with various drugmakers between 2000 and 2007, but failed to report at least $1.2 million of this income to the university.
At issue is whether universities are adequately policing disclosures in an effort to maintain scientific integrity and objectivity. Under Nemeroff’s leadership, the paper reports that Emory’s psychiatry department pulled in more than $22 million in NIH grants just last year. But he has also drawn criticism for speaking and consulting fees paid by drugmakers whose products he has reviewed or promoted. The NIH has granted Emory more than $251 million in funding this year, 61 percent of its total research funds from outside sponsors, according to the paper.
The NIH grant that was frozen was awarded to Emory’s Centers for Intervention Development and Applied Research, and was exploring which factors make common treatments for depression succeed, t he AJC writes. Researchers have received funding for two years of the grant, which started in July 2006, Emory tells the paper. Nemeroff’s colleague, Dr. Helen S. Mayberg, is now listed as principal investigator on the NIH grant that has been stalled.
Over the last several days, Emory has been informing faculty of new requirements for filling out disclosure forms, after the NIH required all Emory faculty to disclose any potential conflict of interest (back story). And today, Emory created a new university-wide central office to oversee administration and enforcement of conflict-of-interest policies.
Lisa Van S
Wow!! Senator Chuck Grassley.. Gotta love the man!!!
Sammy Sucra
I agree with this suspension of funding until adequate clarification is provided. There are too many universities that condone unethical activity, conflicts, etc, and this move by NIH should get their attention. Luckily, in Canada, it is my understanding that we do not have the $10K limit for NIH, or any other type of funding. I heard that Deans are very happy to have these so-called key investigators on their payroll that they turn a blind eye to the actual, often huge, extra incomes generated. Instead, “conflict” occurs when time spent on non-university activities exceeds 20% (but the 20% of what is poorly defined). So, we are open for business for these types of key opinion leaders - money no object. Come on down!
SS
Nancy Fruge
So NIH is finally heeding Senator Grassley’s advice to “add teeth” to the financial disclosure regulations for grants(specifically Title 42 Code of Federal Regulations Part 50, Subpart F, Responsibility of Applicants for Promoting Objectivity in Research for Which Public Health Service Funding Is Sought).
NIH has posted a cool tutorial here: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/coi/tutorial/fcoi.htm
Daylight
Emory has known this all along. This is just the tip of Emory’s iceberg….all the researchers are on the same train with Nemeroff. Taxpayers fund experiments, the Nemeroffs come by and patent whatever and the public has to pay for it all again—in the meantime all similar Nemeroff thieves are getting pharma money to say anthing pharma wants.
The public is S-T-U-P-I-D and deserves to be screwed over because their lazy and don’t speak up.
beenthere
could nimh have taken a more assertive and proactive stance on this? nimh director is former emory prof
Sammy Sucra
While universities and their corporate greed turns a blind eye to this common and disgraceful activity, we musy also note that some investigators do seem to take the high ethical road. A NYT article earlier this year by Gina Kolata describes this rare species.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/15/health/15conf.html
These are the examples of how to be conflict-free and still make important contributions.
SS
Geneve from ATL
I wonder if Grassley and NIH should not start investigating other misuses of public grants, such as investigators starting their own unsuccessful companies around valuable patents developed with federal funds, and paying nothing to the public coffers… universities sweet-dealing with their own employees. some technologies could even be life-saving ones… all lost in ego-boosting enterprises