NEWS: NIH To Ban Scientists From Accepting Payments From Drug Companies, page 1

posted on Feb, 1 2005 @ 07:09 AM

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The National Institute of Health has announced that all scientists affiliated with them will be banned from accepting payment of any kind from drug companies. The practice has already led to some ethics probes. Any currently owned stock holdings in the industry will be divested.

www.latimes.com
WASHINGTON — Under a far-reaching reform to be announced today, all staff scientists at the National Institutes of Health will be banned from accepting any consulting fees or other income from drug companies, and the employees must also divest industry stock holdings, officials said.

The new regulations — drawn up by administrators from the NIH, the Office of Government Ethics and the Department of Health and Human Services — are aimed at halting lucrative deals that have led to conflict-of-interest inquiries at the government's premier agency for medical research.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

I think it is a good idea and probably very log over do. The possibility for abuse is evident considering the amount of money tied up in the industry. I'm glad to see steps being taken on behalf of the little guy. Let's see what that fifth doctor has to say now........

dawnstar

posted on Feb, 1 2005 @ 07:38 AM

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When they say "divest all stock holdings" does that mean the IRA's also. Aren't most IRAs a collection of diverse stocks, some of which are more than likely in the Drug industry. Does that mean they would have to cash in these IRA's?

Azeari of the Radiant Eye

posted on Feb, 1 2005 @ 09:03 AM

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This is the best news I've heard all day, but I keep thinking: what's the catch? It's almost unbelieveable, considering all the power held by the major drug companies. Were their lobbyists out to lunch?

WyrdeOne

posted on Feb, 1 2005 @ 09:09 AM

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This is very good news. Now all we have to do is get the money out of politics and everything will truly be green fields and blue skies..

If only the AMA would follow suit.

Maybe the NIH will 'un-surpress' the clinical studies favorable to tobacco? Maybe they'll blow the lid off the cancer conspiracy (vitamin/mineral deficiency). Maybe they'll even challenge the lying surgeon generals ruling on medicinal marijuana. Maybe pigs will fly unassisted by catapults..

kazi

posted on Feb, 1 2005 @ 12:44 PM

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I don't believe it, yet. There's a bunch of Pharmacutical execs, right now, looking for loop-holes, so they can keep the money flowing.

Nygdan

posted on Feb, 1 2005 @ 01:19 PM

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And *poof* went a source of research financing.

Is the government going to increase science research budgets to make up for the short fall? No, probably not.