Comments on: Few Universities File Conflict Of Interest Reports

By: Outside the Box

Outside the Box — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:01:50 +0000

BP Observer is right but I would go further.

Much of the true innovation in research comes from these same institutions and turn into the bright new small biotechs from which big pharma is increasingly obtaining its pipeline - and this is another business process that nobody wants to end because (as patrons99 points out) these scientists have a huge vested interest in seeing their research turn into IP and profit.

At the innovation end of the market I don’t think these things constitute a conflict of interest that is harmless - quite the reverse. Where I think the potentially harmful conflicts exist is in the work done on existing products already owned and sold by big pharma.

Is there an option where the category of work being done can determine whether conflicts have to be disclosed? Work on products in research up to and including phase 2 would not constitute a conflict as up to this stage the product is really still a high risk research project. If the product is in phase 3 or later (for any indication and not just the one being researched) then the researchers must disclose all conflicts - by force of law.

By: martin brown

martin brown — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:48:56 +0000

yea, the report sums it up. its a mess

By: BP Observer

BP Observer — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:14:23 +0000

Not at all a surprise. The major academic institutions that house most of the KOLs who receive big money really don’t want to know. In addition, since some of the biggest money contributors to academic research are the Big Pharma companies and they don’t want this cash stream to end, they don’t want to bite the hand that feeds them. The only way this will ever come to light is if they are required to reveal by enforcement of law.

By: bullls23

bullls23 — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:18:45 +0000

such a mess.

By: patrons99

patrons99 — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:03:06 +0000

This is an argument for repeal of the Bayh-Dole Act or the University and Small Business Patent Procedures Act which was codified in 35 U.S.C. §200 and implemented by 37 C.F.R. 401. This act reversed the presumption of title. Bayh-Dole permits a university, small business, or non-profit institution to elect to pursue ownership of an invention in preference to the government. A strong argument can be made that an unintended consequence of the conflicts of interest created by the Bayh-Dole Act and PDUFA (“Prescription Drug User Fee Act”) is the loss of integrity of clinical research in this country.