(New York Times) – Many drug trials are vetted by companies with ties to the drugmakers, raising concerns about conflicts of interest and patient safety.

The first ethics panels, created in response to testing scandals in the 1960s and ’70s, were nonprofits based at universities and hospitals. But in recent years, private-equity investors have increasingly reshaped them as for-profit endeavors.

For drug companies racing to develop the next blockbuster, private equity promised quicker, more efficient reviews. At the same time, private-equity ownership has driven the boards’ expansion far beyond their original watchdog role. (Read More)