JAMA editors allegedly threatened tipster

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JAMA editors allegedly threatened tipster

Professor raised concerns of study author's ties to drug industry

The Associated Press

CHICAGO - The American Medical Association is seeking an investigation

of claims that editors of its leading medical journal threatened a

whistleblower who pointed out a researcher’s conflict of

interest.

Editors of the Journal of the American Medical Association deny

threatening a professor who raised concerns about a study

author’s undisclosed financial link to a drug company when JAMA

published the study last year. JAMA, like most leading medical journals,

has a policy of noting scientists’ industry connections.

According to the Wall Street Journal, JAMA editors threatened to ban the

professor from their journal and ruin his medical school’s

reputation if he didn’t stop talking to reporters.

The editors deny that. But the flap prompted them to spell out what

amounts to a gag order on anyone who alerts the medical journal about

suspicions that a researcher has undisclosed industry ties.

The journal editors argue that any suspicions should be kept secret

until JAMA can complete its own probe. That is an existing policy,

JAMA’s editor-in-chief, Dr. DeAngelis, told The

Associated Press on Monday.

AMA journals are independent and the medical association doesn’t

interfere with what they publish. But AMA said Friday it has asked an

independent oversight committee to investigate how JAMA editors handled

the issue.

Cotinued at:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29961791