AMA seeks probe of journal editors’ actions
The American Medical Association is seeking an investigation of claims that editors of its leading medical journal threatened a whistleblower who pointed out a researcher’s conflict of interest.
Editors of the Journal of the American Medical Association deny threatening a professor who raised concerns about a study author’s undisclosed financial link to a drug company when JAMA published the study last year. JAMA, like most leading medical journals, has a policy of noting scientists’ industry connections.
According to the Wall Street Journal, JAMA editors threatened to ban the professor from their journal and ruin his medical school’s reputation if he didn’t stop talking to reporters.
The editors deny that. But the flap prompted them to spell out what amounts to a gag order on anyone who alerts the medical journal about suspicions that a researcher has undisclosed industry ties. The journal editors argue that any suspicions should be kept secret until JAMA can complete its own probe. That is an existing policy, JAMA’s editor-in-chief, Dr. Catherine DeAngelis, told The Associated Press on Monday.
AP Medical Writer, 30/3/9