The National Institutes of Health announced that 44 government scientists who work for the agency have violated conflict of interest rules that bar them from working too closely with drug companies and medical device manufacturers. NIH began the review several months ago on the request of Congress after evidence emerged of a pattern of improper conduct involving government scientists over the past few years. The Los Angeles Times ran a series of stories earlier this year exposing several prominent researchers. Details of the review were made public despite a request from NIH head Elias Zerhouni that they be kept confidential.
- see this story from The New York Times