Harvard’s Biederman: What J&J Money?
5 CommentsBy Ed Silverman // November 26th, 2008 // 10:48 am
Earlier this week, we learned that reknowned Harvard University psychiatrist Joseph Biederman pushed Johnson & Johnson to fund a research center at Massachusetts General Hospital that would focus on the use of its Risperdal antipsychotic in children, well before the med was approved for pediatric use (back story).
Seeking to curry favor with the influential doc, Biederman was put in charge of the institute. He also began a study of 40 children between 4 and 6 years old who were given Risperdal and Lilly’s Zyprexa, another antipsychotic. At the time, Harvard University and MGH rules forbid researchers from running trials with drugmakers if they receive more than $10,000 from a company that makes the drug.
However, info provided to the US Senate Finance Committee, which has been investigating Biederman and other academic researchers for allegedly violating federal conflict of rules governing disclosure of industry fees and NIH grants, indicates Biederman in 2001 received $58,169 from Johnson & Johnson and $14,339 from Lilly. But the payments were not fully disclosed, according to the committee (see this letter).
The study ran for three years and, in 2003, Biederman received another $18,347 from Lilly, which also wasn’t properly disclosed, according to the committee. In other words, Biederman appears to have consistently flouted Harvard rules about disclosure. Moreover, he also failed to disclose his financial ties to the drugmakers when the study was later published in BIOL Psychiatry (take a look).
David M.
Biological Psychiatry is published by the Society of Biological Psychiatry. Here is a section from their ethics statement: Research involving human subjects should be constructed and implemented in a fashion which is commensurate with scientific principles already generally accepted. Specifically, an investigation should benefit the patient or add to the existing body of scientific knowledge.
http://www.sobp.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=3304
This study only benefited the marketing department at a pharmaceutical company.
Somebody needs to notify the president of SBS who is Husseini Manji at the NIMH.
Meg
First, Harvard needs to fire this man. Then a criminal trial with him, J and J and Lilly execs needs to happen. It is so overdue. There has been no justice for the families of those who have been killed and maimed by these drugs. And then the atypicals need to be banned for children/adolescents.
me
First, how is it possible to get a true diagnosis of bipolar disorder in kids that young? It’s hard enough to dx an adult, especially if the pt is bipolar II (as I am). Second, why would anyone subject their children to a trial like this?
I won’t take those meds myself. I discuss pros and cons with my doctor before the “Rx roulette” starts. As much as Big Pharma would have you believe, newer is not necessarily better (e.g. COX-2 inhibitors).
Revoke Biederman’s medical license, and ensure he can never again inflict harm in the guise of medical care.
Mithra Green
If you keep doing the same thing, you’ll keep getting the same results. Our relationship with the medical industry is like a spouse who keeps returning to an abusive partner thinking “THIS time it will be different.”
It’s time to step away from the pharmacy counter and realize that no doctor, company or university will ever care more about your health than you. You alone are the final arbitor of what is best for you.
Mike T
Meg wrote: First, Harvard needs to fire this man. Then a criminal trial with him, J and J and Lilly execs needs to happen. >>> I second the motion ! I am emailing my Senators and US Rep. weekly on this and related matters.