Industry sponsorship of drug studies raises concerns of bias

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Seemingly independent drug laboratory trials in the United States are increasingly financed by the same companies that produce the drugs, which doctors and consumer advocates say can skew the test results.

The problem was highlighted in a recent scandal over Merck and Co's pain relief drug Vioxx, in which a medical journal report of a Merck-financed clinical test failed to note that Vioxx users had an increased risk of heart attack.

"The pharmaceutical companies are financing a large part of the work done by the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) to approve a new medication," said Peter Lurie, deputy director of the Health Research Group at Public Citizen, a consumer protection organization.

"There is a fundamental conflict of interest in considering a drug for approval when you know the sponsor is paying your salary," Lurie said.

"Anytime you leave the conduct, the analysis and writing up ...