Scotsman.com News - Health - Ex-medical journal editor reveals drug firms' dirty tricks

IAN JOHNSTON
SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT

"PHARMACEUTICAL companies are using their massive financial clout to corrupt medical journals by rigging clinical trials of new drugs, it was claimed today.

Richard Smith, former editor of the British Medical Journal (BMJ), has exposed a series of tricks used by drug firms to ensure good publicity for new products in prestigious journals. He said it was often impossible for editors of the journals to spot a rigged trial - despite the process of 'peer review' where research is checked independently - and also highlighted a 'conflict of interest' because publishing trials by major drug companies would result in increased sales."
more . . .