Tc
Mon, Nov-20-06, 06:15
http://blog.lib.umn.edu/schwitz/healthnews/052361.html
High level NIH conflict of interest An internal audit by the
National Institutes of Health criticizes one of its senior
cancer researchers for "serious misconduct," according to the
Los Angeles Times.
The Times reports that Dr. Thomas J. Walsh entered "into
dozens of unauthorized private arrangements with drug
companies ... failing to report annually the outside income,
totaling more than $100,000. ... The internal review,
conducted by lawyers and other ethics specialists within the
office of the NIH director, found that from 1999 to 2004,
Walsh received fees totaling $100,970 from pharmaceutical and
biotechnology companies. He accepted fees from 25 companies
and has led government-sponsored research involving some of
those companies' drugs."
The Times says a congressional hearing this week is expected
to review NIH's handling of the Walsh case and that of another
senior NIH researcher, Dr. P. Trey Sunderland III. The Times
adds: "Sunderland, who has specialized in researching
Alzheimer's disease, accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars
in drug-company fees - including about $612,000 from Pfizer -
without obtaining required advance approval. In June,
Sunderland asserted his 5th Amendment right against
self-incrimination while declining to answer questions before
the congressional subcommittee. Neither Sunderland nor Walsh
has been publicly disciplined, and each maintains his senior
government position."
****
TC
High level NIH conflict of interest An internal audit by the
National Institutes of Health criticizes one of its senior
cancer researchers for "serious misconduct," according to the
Los Angeles Times.
The Times reports that Dr. Thomas J. Walsh entered "into
dozens of unauthorized private arrangements with drug
companies ... failing to report annually the outside income,
totaling more than $100,000. ... The internal review,
conducted by lawyers and other ethics specialists within the
office of the NIH director, found that from 1999 to 2004,
Walsh received fees totaling $100,970 from pharmaceutical and
biotechnology companies. He accepted fees from 25 companies
and has led government-sponsored research involving some of
those companies' drugs."
The Times says a congressional hearing this week is expected
to review NIH's handling of the Walsh case and that of another
senior NIH researcher, Dr. P. Trey Sunderland III. The Times
adds: "Sunderland, who has specialized in researching
Alzheimer's disease, accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars
in drug-company fees - including about $612,000 from Pfizer -
without obtaining required advance approval. In June,
Sunderland asserted his 5th Amendment right against
self-incrimination while declining to answer questions before
the congressional subcommittee. Neither Sunderland nor Walsh
has been publicly disciplined, and each maintains his senior
government position."
****
TC