Drug funding for psychiatrists questioned
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| News Archive
| Topics: children, ethics, investigation, research
Psychiatrists who failed to report receiving a combined $4.2 million from 15 drug companies since 2000 were the subject of a Senate inquiry according to information released by Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) (top left).
The three Harvard doctors -- Joseph Biederman (see left), Thomas Spencer, and Timothy Wilens -- mentioned by the senator have been aggressive proponents of medication management for ADHD and bipolar disorder in children and Biederman is a popular conference speaker for parents and educators. His 300 scholarly articles are among the field's most often cited.
This story draws interest not only because of the well-known standards about earning outside income in academic environments, but also because of the potential conflicts of interest when research is funded by pharmaceutical companies which are in business to sell drugs. This has been a theme in numerous articles recently published in medical journals. The story also calls attention to the controversies around the growing number of children diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Just last month a session of the American Psychiatric Association discussed whether childhood bipolar disorder was overdiagnosed. Since 1995, when Dr. Biederman's work took off, about 800,000 children, some as young as two, have been treated.
Congressional efforts to obtain the financial information was "a mess" with inconsistencies and inaccuracies about amounts and from whom, Grassley said. He now intends to pursue possible violation of rules at Harvard University or Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) capping outside income. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), which has funded some of their research studies in its $24 billion program also has procedures which may have been violated.
Grassley asked the heads of these institutions to answer specific questions about procedures for transparency and accountability, and to supply detailed information about "significant financial interests" of the various sponsors of each physician's research. His strongly worded letter providing an account appeared in the June 4th Congressional Record.
Grassley also noted that his curiosity was piqued last year, after learning that a professor of psychiatry at the University of Cincinnati had published a study in 2002 finding
Seroquel worked for kids with bipolar disorder. The study was paid for by Astra Zeneca, and the following year that company paid Dr. [Melissa] DelBello around $100,000 for speaking fees and honoraria. In 2004, Astra Zeneca paid Dr. DelBello over $80,000.
Grassley's concern for transparency led him to propose the Physician Payments Sunshine Act of 2007 "to provide for transparency in the relationship between physicians and manufacturers of drugs, devices, or medical supplies for which payment is made under Medicare, Medicaid, or SCHIP.” An identical bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) in 2008. Neither has moved beyond committee.
To track the Physician Payments Sunshine Act through the Senate, click here.
To track the Physician Payments Sunchine Act through the House of Representatives, click here.
