Medical journals and ethics: Pity the messenger

March 27, 2009

In the past scientists sometimes managed to publish medical studies flogging the supposed benefits of some or other drug without disclosing that they had financial ties to the drug’s manufacturer. One of the leading voices arguing for full disclosure of such connections has been the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Catherine DeAngelis, JAMA’s editor, was even awarded the Catcher in the Rye humanitarian prize last year “because of her leadership on discussions of conflicts of interest in medicine.” (The Economist)