The New York Times reports on an article published today in JAMA about ghostwriters, hired by Merck, to write up reports on Vioxx. Merck then found prestigious physician researchers to put their names on the reports as they appeared in medical journals.
Some of the physicians argued that they were actively involved in the research. The researchers in question may have been involved, but the troubling point is that the drug company was also involved in the drafting of their journal piece. The practice of the drug companies being actively involved in the drafting of reports raises questions about the objectivity of the research, especially if the company's involvement is not disclosed. The general public will have greater cause to trust the research published, if there is transparency about the research methods and personnel involved.
You can find the NYT article here, with a link to the JAMA article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/business/16vioxx.html?ex=1366084800&en=ef29a5f6ea0a6e76&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
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