Funding, Conflicts, and Paradigms

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This past February and March, the New York Times published an article (GardinerHarris and Alex Berenson, "10 Voters on Panel Backing Pain Pills Had Industry Ties,"Feb 25, 2005) and subsequent editorial (March 4) concerning an FDA Advisory Panel thatrecommended marketing of several COX-2 inhibitor analgesics. They cited the Center forScience in the Public Interest, an advocacy group, which found that 10 of the 37 panel membershad consulted for or received research support from manufacturers of the drugs beingreviewed. The Times then observed that, had the votes of the 10 scientists with industry connectionsbeen excluded, the panel would have voted to withdraw one of the drugs and recommendedblocking the return of another.’ ‹’ ‹