FDA's industry ties too binding

[Mr. McD]

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But the tentacles of industry have spread too deeply into too many areas of medical science in recent years, especially in academic medicine. Many professors at large medical schools act as paid industry consultants or join advisory boards — receiving stipends of a few thousand dollars a year to $50,000 or more — to review and comment on other research or show up at trade shows to talk about a new drug or device.


And when The New York Times examined an advisory panel's vote not to recommend removal of a popular painkilling medicine from the market — a decision upheld by the FDA — it found that the panel's recommendation would have turned out differently if experts with industry ties had been excluded.


http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/stories/0730edfda.html

[Celebration]

1. and it's not just the FDA

It's the medical schools, too. As far as I am concerned, medical students are paying big bucks for the privilege of being indoctrinated by said professors. Keep all these financial aspects of medicine in your mind the next time you go to the doctor.