Dr Aubrey Blumsohn on North American Tour

We had posted a while back and again here about the story of Dr Aubrey Blumsohn's dispute with Proctor and Gamble (P&G) and Sheffield University in the UK. In summary, Blumsohn and Professor Richard Eastell had done clinical research on the risedronate (Actonel), sponsored by P&G, the drug's manufacturer. P&G refused Blumsohn access to the original data from the study he was ostensibly running, and hired a ghost-writer to write abstracts in his name. Blumsohn protested to Eastell, who advised him not to make waves because P&G "is a good source of income" for the university. When protests to other university officials produced no results, Blumsohn told the story to the press, whereupon the university suspended him.

Dr Blumsohn will be in northern North America (Canada and the USA) next month, speaking at a number of venues. His schedule is below:

Penobscot Bay Medical Center, Rockport, Maine, USA - 9 June 2006
Title: Fostering Scientific Integrity in a Wasteland (Grand Rounds)
Contact Details: Cathy Hopler (207) 596-8215

Harvard School of Public Health, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA - 12 June 2006
Time: 17:15 to 18:30pm
Location: Program on Ethical Issues in International Health Research, Kresge Building, Harvard School of Public Health, Camb, MA
Title: Where is my data? Learning from Ethical Crises at the University-Pharmaceutical Interface (Ethics workshop)
Contact Details: Emily Kaditz (617) 432-3998 before attending (may be closed to additional attendees)

St. Boniface Hospital, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada - 16 June 2006
Time: 12:00-13:00
Location: St.Boniface Hospital, Samuel Cohen Auditorium, Winnipeg
Title: From Questioning Scientist to the Unemployment Queue: Pharmaceutical Science Meets Franz Kafka (Ethics Grand Rounds)
Contact Details: Professor Arthur Schafer (204)-474-9107
Sponsored by: The University of Manitoba, Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics

University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada - 19 June 2006
Time: 16:00-18:00, reception to follow, 18:00 - 20:00
Location: Bennet Lecture Hall, University of Toronto. Reception to follow in Rowell Room (Flavelle House )
Title: Where Are My Data? - Learning from Crises in Pharmaceutical Research: A New Story About the Pharmaceutical Benefactor, the University, the Ghost, a Lone Academic and the Bill of Rights
Contact Details: Ms Valerie Joseph (416)-340-4800 x 6507
Sponsored by: Doctors for Research Integrity and The Canadian Association of University Teachers, Trudo Lemmons, Faculty of Law; Nancy Olivieri, Faculty of Medicine (hosts)

Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine, USA - 21 June 2006
Time 08:00-09:00
Location: Dana Auditorium, Maine Medical Center, Portland,
Title: Where Are My Data? Learning from Ethical Crises at the University-Pharmaceutical Interface (Medical Grand Rounds)
Contact Details: Candy Kucharik (207)-662-2651

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