Friday, March 11, 2005

Conflicted Leaders Leaving NIH

Three leaders at the NIH whom the Los Angeles Times had reported had major conflicts of interest are going to leave, again according to the Times.
H. Bryan Brewer Jr is leaving the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The Times had reported that Brewer received $114,000 in consulting fees from makers of cholesterol lowering drugs, including AstraZeneca, maker of Crestor, from 2001 to 2003. In his NHLBI role, he helped draft guidelines for cholesterol treatment. He wrote an article in the American Journal of Cardiology praising Crestor without disclosing that he had received money from AstraZeneca. Brewer will be going to a "research institute in the Washington area."
Lance A. Liotta, a laboratory chief at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is also leaving. The Times had reported that Liotta, while working with one company to develop a test to detect ovarian cancer, had received $70,000 from another company making a competing product. Liotta will be going to George Mason University.
Emanuel F. Petricoin III, based at the NIH, but employed by the Food and Drug Administration will also be leaving for George Mason. He had worked with Liotta on the ovarian cancer detection project.
This is an apparent sign that the times they are a-changin' for conflict of interest at the NIH.

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