Senator Charles Grassley Broadens Investigation of Potential Conflicts of Interest

Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) is continuing his 2-year investigation of potential conflicts of interest between academic researchers and the pharmaceutical industry.

This week, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Institute of Health (NIH) were targeted. The Senator sent a letter to NIH director, Frances S, Collins, MD, PhD, requesting that his phone records, emails, and calendar dating from early 2009 be turned over by February 3. On January 22, 2010, NIMH director, Thomas R. Insel, MD, commented on his Director’s blog, "At NIMH, as with the rest of NIH, our foremost interest is ensuring that the research we support is scientifically rigorous and trustworthy."

Psychiatric Times has followed this investigation closely. Some of the articles related to the Senator’s investigation of several prominent psychiatrists can be found below:

Update on Conflicts of Interest AllegationsToward Credible Conflict of Interest Policies in Clinical PsychiatryDrug Makers to Report Physician PaymentsSenate Investigations Spread to APA and ACCMEThe Age of Conflicts-of InterestConflicts Grow Over Conflicts-of-Interest Policies and Practices

The Senator has also recently widened his investigation to include over 30 other medical societies and organizations. He has sent letters requesting details about honoraria that these groups and their directors receive from pharmaceutical sponsors and device makers. Among those organizations that received letters were the:

•The American Medical Association
•Alzheimer’s Association
•American Cancer Society
•American Academy of Family Physicians
•American Heart Association
•American Psychological Association
•National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression
•American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology
•American Diabetes Association