Researchers apologize for disclosure failure

A group of Mayo Clinic-affiliated researchers studying arthritis drugs has publicly apologized for failing to fully disclose financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry. The researchers, who looked at cancer risks among patients taking Remicade, Enbrel and Humira for rheumatoid arthritis, published the results of their study last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The researchers didn't disclose, however, that they had let Humira maker Abbott Laboratories review the paper prior to publication, while failing to let Remicade maker Centocor do the same. They didn't mention that they hadn't included a similar drug made by Wyeth, which was backing other work they were doing. And they also didn't tell JAMA that one of the researchers had received a $25,000 fellowship grant from Amgen, which markets Enbrel. In response to the controversy, research team leader Dr. Eric Matteson wrote a formal letter of apology to JAMA. Critics, meanwhile, are fuming over the failure to disclose these relationships, but say the science behind the paper appears to be solid.

For more information on the apology:
- read this HealthDay News article

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