May 14, 2007

Where's Waldo on Conflict of Interest Disclosure

The Massachusetts Medical Society, publisher of the New England Journal of Medicine, also publishes a popular line of journal digests for busy physicians. The latest issue, out today, of its "Women's Health" newsletter reviews the latest literature on giving antidepressants to pregnant women. Here's the bottom line from Harvard professor Claudio Soares:

Despite the cautionary remarks commonly made by most regulatory agencies and medical societies about the use of psychotropic medications during pregnancy, considerable data supporting the efficacy and reproductive safety of antidepressants have accrued. Conversely, evidence suggests that untreated depression has negative consequences for both mother and child.

It would have been nice if the article, one of the few from the publisher that is freely available on the Internet, had let subscribing physicians or inquiring consumers know that Dr. Soares receives consulting and speakers fees from a half dozen manufacturers of antidepressant drugs, and has conducted research for Eli Lilly. Instead of publishing that information at the end of the article, where most conflict-of-interest disclosure statements get placed, Journal Watch disclosed Dr. Soares' financial ties here, which is two clicks down from the journal's "site map" page.

Posted by gooznews at May 14, 2007 06:23 PM