NIH Finds Ethics Violations in 44 Cases( 36 still employed)

[maddezmom]

WASHINGTON - Forty-four government scientists who also worked as consultants for drug companies violated agency regulations designed to prevent conflicts of interest, a review by the National Institutes of Health shows.

The review centered on whether the scientists had properly disclosed their work for the drug companies on financial disclosure forms, whether they had prior approval to do such work from their superiors and whether they took personal leave to do private work. In the 44 cases, scientists were found to have violated one or more existing NIH rules.

In an additional 37 cases reviewed, scientists did have prior approval for their work, had properly reported the work on their financial disclosure forms and took approved leave when necessary, the NIH reported.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee asked for the review when it compared NIH records to consulting agreements maintained by 20 pharmaceutical companies. It found 81 cases between 1999 and 2004 where the agreements were not listed in the NIH records provided to the committee. It asked NIH to investigate those cases.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050714/ap_on_go_ot/nih_ethics_lapses_2