Feds charge researcher over Pfizer consulting fees

The long arm of the drug companies snags yet another researcher. Pearson "Trey" Sunderland III, who was chief of the Geriatric Psychiatry Branch at the National Institute of Mental Health, is accused of failing to disclose that he accepted $285,000 in consulting and other fees from Pfizer between 1997 and 2004. Sunderland was paid $25,000 a year for consulting with Pfizer and a $2,500 fee for each one-day meeting he attended with Pfizer executives. Sunderland, whose department was working with Pfizer on an effort to identify Alzheimer's biomarkers, potentially faces a year in prison and a $100,000 fine for failing to disclose his financial relationship with Pfizer. At present, he remains an NIH employee but now works as a special assistant and senior adviser.

To learn more about the case:
- check out this report form FierceBiotech
- read this Washington Post piece

Related Articles:
FierceHealthcare readers express their (sometimes heated) opinions on whether gifts and paid dinners from pharma companies are ethically questionable. Letters
Cleveland Clinic to change conflict-of-interest policies. Report
Senate questions NIH conflict-of-interest punishment. Report