How some drug companies manipulate patient advocates
Patient advocates and researchers uncover concerning patterns in financial relationships between industry funding and patient advocacy organizations. More
Medical device industry spends more on physician payments than pharma
A recent study finds that medical device companies spend more than pharma on payments to physicians, but spend it in different ways. More
Covid-19 conflicts of interest go beyond pharma
Dr. Vivek Murthy, Biden's pick for surgeon general, was recently found to have accepted significant consulting payments from private companies. Should this disqualify him from the position? More
Is the Sunshine Act reducing conflicts of interest?
A little over ten years after the Physician Payments Sunshine Act was passed, how have industry payments to physicians changed? A recent article in Medscape explores the impact of the legislation, obstacles to change, and potential solutions beyond just disclosure. More
Advocacy from independent experts reflected in new ob-gyn guideline
A group of independent doctors spoke out in 2019 against what they saw as a potentially harmful recommendation that was influenced by financial conflicts of interest. Now it appears that the independent doctors' advocacy has helped to change that recommendation. More
The cardiac implant you get may depend on the company paying your doctor
Does receiving money from medical device companies impact the devices doctors implant in patients? A recent study in JAMA suggests that it does. More
Conflicts running rampant in the Covid era
As our country faces difficult decisions about how to mitigate the pandemic, pharmaceutical companies are wielding their influence through contributions to policymakers, health care administrators, and journalists. More
Pharma sales reps still visiting doctors in the pandemic
Visits from pharmaceutical sales reps haven't stopped during the pandemic--they've just moved online... More
How bad science sows doubt
In a new book, former OSHA director David Michaels reveals how some industries use bad science to "manufacture uncertainty" about the harms of their products. More
Upcoming conflict of interest conference funded by…pharma?!
A conference on conflicts of interest would be a great event...if it weren't funded by industry. More
CDC “disclaimers” hide financial conflicts of interest
Despite the claim that "CDC does not accept commercial support," this agency does indeed have financial ties to industry organizations. A petition from watchdog groups is demanding transparency. More
More doctors than ever are pharma-made millionaires
Is sunshine really the best disinfectant? Or do we need much more than transparency when it comes to financial conflicts of interest? More
Doctors speak out on conflicts of interest in obstetrics
With help from a network of industry-independent experts, doctors are speaking out against conflicts of interest in maternal safety recommendations More
How conflicts of interest put new mothers at risk
How undisclosed conflicts of interest may have put millions of pregnant and postpartum women at risk... More
Summer updates in conflicts of interest research
Recent developments in research on financial conflicts of interest in medicine are helping health care watchdogs hold health professionals and institutions accountable for their financial relationships with industry. Read on! More
Are government agency workers “here for the right reasons”?
Why the revolving door poses a serious problem for government agency regulation. More
Does the benefit of off-label Gabapentinoid use outweigh the harms?
Gabapentinoids like Neurontin and Lyrica are often prescribed for off-label uses. But does the evidence support this treatment? More
Do you know how much your doctor receives from industry?
Two years after the Open Payments tool was launched, the vast majority of patients still don't know whether their doctor receives money from industry. Why? More
Conflicts of interest cloud stroke intervention guidelines
Do financial conflicts play a role in explaining the differences in recommendations for acute stroke interventions between specialty societies? More
In pharmaceutical marketing, a little goes a long way
A new study shows that in pharmaceutical marketing, the number of doctors you target may matter more than the amount of money you give them. More