Impugning the Integrity of Medical Science

Abstract

The profession of medicine, in every aspect—clinical, education, and research—has been inundated with profound influence from the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. This has occurred because physicians have allowed it to happen, and it is time to stop. Two articles^1,2 in this issue of JAMA provide a glimpse of one company's apparent misrepresentation of research data and its manipulation of clinical research articles and clinical reviews; such information and articles influence the education and clinical practice of physicians and other health professionals. The direct influence of for-profit companies on education^3-6 and clinical practice^7,8 has been well documented, so this Editorial deals primarily with clinical research.