Correspondence

Disclosure of Authors' Conflicts of Interest: A Follow-up

N Engl J Med 2000; 342:586-587February 24, 2000

Article

We noted in the November 18 issue1 that Dr. Vera Price, the author of a Drug Therapy article published in the September 23 issue,2 had received major research support through her university from companies that manufactured drugs discussed in her article and that she had recently consulted for those companies. Although she informed us of these arrangements at the time her article was solicited, we failed to respond in accordance with our conflict-of-interest policy, which would have disqualified her. Because of the inconsistency between our stated policy and practice in this case, we reviewed the files and spoke with the authors of the Drug Therapy articles published since January 1, 1997, to determine whether there were similar inconsistencies. We have now completed our review. We found 18 instances in which one or more authors of Drug Therapy articles received major research support through their institutions from relevant companies or served as consultants for those companies at the time they were invited to prepare their articles. The authors had informed us of these arrangements, and the editors in Boston were aware of them and approved them. The list is as follows:

Lemon S, Thomas DL. Vaccines to prevent viral hepatitis. N Engl J Med 1997;336:196-204. Dr. Lemon received grants from SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals.

Hoofnagle JH, Di Bisceglie AM. The treatment of chronic viral hepatitis. N Engl J Med 1997;336:347-56. Drs. Hoofnagle and Di Bisceglie received grants and other support from Abbott Laboratories, Chiron, Eli Lilly, Glaxo Wellcome, Roche, Schering-Plough, and Viratek.

Delmas PD, Meunier PJ. The management of Paget's disease of bone. N Engl J Med 1997;336:558-66. Drs. Delmas and Meunier received grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, Merck, Novartis, Procter & Gamble, Rhone–Poulenc Rorer Pharmaceuticals, and Sanofi.

Quagliarello VJ, Scheld WM. Treatment of bacterial meningitis. N Engl J Med 1997;336:708-16. Drs. Quagliarello and Scheld received grants from Pfizer and Roche.

Holleman F, Hoekstra JBL. Insulin lispro. N Engl J Med 1997;337:176-83. Dr. Holleman received grants from Eli Lilly and Hoeschst Marion Roussel.

Rudick RA, Cohen JA, Weinstock-Guttman B, Kinkel RP, Ransohoff RM. Management of multiple sclerosis. N Engl J Med 1997;337:1604-11. Drs. Rudick, Cohen, Kinkel, and Ransohoff received grants from Athena Neurosciences, Berlex Laboratories, Biogen, Connective Therapeutics, and Pharmacia–Upjohn.

Eastell R. Treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. N Engl J Med 1998;338:736-46. Dr. Eastell received grants from and served as an advisor to Eli Lilly and Procter & Gamble and served as an advisor to Novartis and SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals.

Flexner C. HIV-protease inhibitors. N Engl J Med 1998; 338:1281-92. Dr. Flexner received grants from Abbott Laboratories and Agouron Pharmaceuticals.

Hortobagyi GN. Treatment of breast cancer. N Engl J Med 1998;339:974-84. Dr. Hortobagyi received grants from Bristol-Myers Squibb and Targeted Genetics.

Alward WLM. Medical management of glaucoma. N Engl J Med 1998;339:1298-307. Dr. Alward received a grant from Alcon Laboratories.

Osborne CK. Tamoxifen in the treatment of breast cancer. N Engl J Med 1998;339:1609-18. Dr. Osborne received a grant from and served as a consultant to AstraZeneca.

Drazen JM, Israel E, O'Byrne PM. Treatment of asthma with drugs modifying the leukotriene pathway. N Engl J Med 1999;340:197-206. Drs. Drazen, Israel, and O'Byrne received grants from and served as advisors to AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Glaxo Wellcome, Merck, Schering-Plough, Sepracor, SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals, and 3M.

Elia J, Ambrosini PJ, Rapoport JL. Treatment of attention-deficit–hyperactivity disorder. N Engl J Med 1999;340:780-8. Dr. Elia received grant support from Celegene.

Steinberg MH. Management of sickle cell disease. N Engl J Med 1999;340:1021-30. Dr. Steinberg received a grant from Theradex.

Swift RM. Drug therapy for alcohol dependence. N Engl J Med 1999;340:1482-90. Dr. Swift received grants from Dupont, Lipha, and Pfizer.

Knopp R. Drug treatment of lipid disorders. N Engl J Med 1999;341:498-511. Dr. Knopp received grants from Bayer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Kos Pharmaceuticals, Merck, Parke-Davis, Pfizer, and Wyeth–Ayerst.

Ferris FL III, Davis MD, Aiello LM. Treatment of diabetic retinopathy. N Engl J Med 1999;341:667-78. Dr. Davis received grants from Agouron Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly, Miravant Medical Technologies, Novartis, and Roche, and Dr. Aiello received a grant from Eli Lilly.

Vance ML, Mauras N. Growth hormone therapy in adults and children. N Engl J Med 1999;341:1206-16. Dr. Vance received grants from Eli Lilly and Pharmacia–Upjohn, and Dr. Mauras received grants from Alkermes, Eli Lilly, Genentech, Merck, Pharmacia–Upjohn, and Wyeth–Ayerst.

We regret our failure to apply our policy correctly. Steps have been taken to ensure against any recurrence.

Marcia Angell, M.D.
Robert D. Utiger, M.D.
Alastair J.J. Wood, M.D.

2 References

1. 1

   Price VH, Angell M, Wood AJJ. Authors' conflicts of interest: a disclosure and editors' reply. N Engl J Med 1999;341:1618-1619
   Full Text | Web of Science | Medline

2. 2

   Price VH. Treatment of hair loss. N Engl J Med 1999;341:964-973
   Full Text | Web of Science | Medline

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