See journalist Merrill Goozner's column about a new study describing drug company research contracts with academic medical centers prohibiting researchers from disclosing trial results.
The lesson for journalists and the public is: Do NOT accept journal articles or news stories about journal articles as gospel. Disclosure of conflicts of interest in journal articles and in news stories about journal articles IS important.
The author of the study in question was quoted saying, "These results are really bothersome. Some investigators may be willing to accept constraints just to maintain good relations with the company."
So why do some journalists continue to live off journal stories as fodder for stories each and every week?
Posted by schwitz at May 27, 2005 07:51 AM | TrackBack