Pharmaceutical companies accused of distorting clinical trial results

Leading medical journals have attacked the pharmaceutical giants of distorting the results of clinical trials for financial gain.

The Lancet, the New England Journal for Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association are among a number of prominent medical journals which have accused the major drug companies of using their money — or rather the threat of withdrawing funding — to influence the result of clinical trials. The journals accuse the companies of distorting the results of scientific research for the sake of profits.

The editors say that the studies produced for publication may be skewed in the interests of the pharmaceutical companies, hoping to make big profits from a new drug. The scientists, often from cash-starved universities or departments, may be prevented from having access to the raw data garnered in the clinical trials, which would tell them how well the drug worked and whether there were side-effects.

'The patient should know who is in control of the study,' said Richard Horton, editor of The Lancet. 'Are you — my doctor or the scientist carrying out the study — in control or is the pharmaceutical company in control?'

In an act of solidarity, editors will require authors of future studies to disclose details of their own involvement and the sponsoring pharmaceutical company's role in the study.