The Washington Post reports on how North Carolina researcher John Buse, the incoming president of the American Diabetes Association, says he was intimidated by the maker of Avandia in 1999 when he began questioning the drug's safety. Excerpt:
"Buse said company officials considered his actions "scurrilous" and implied that he might be held accountable for a $4 billion drop in the drug firm's stock."I was characterized as a liar and I was characterized as being for sale," Buse told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which released a letter that he wrote in response.
"Please call off the dogs. I cannot remain civilized much longer under this kind of heat," Buse wrote.
Moncef Slaoui of GlaxoSmithKline, the company's new name after a merger, expressed regret about the episode, attributing it to the "passion" of officials at the time."
Passionate, indeed. But nothing stirs pharma's passion like threats to the bottom line.
Posted by schwitz at June 8, 2007 12:14 PM | TrackBack