Expert to explore bias in pharmaceutical research

International expert to explore bias in pharmaceutical research

Highly respected physician and international commentator on health policy Professor Joel Lexchin, will deliver a public lecture in Wellington next week exploring how bias can be introduced into pharmaceutical research.

Pharmaceutical companies fund the bulk of clinical research, says Professor Lexchin. Perhaps not surprisingly, research has shown that company-funded research is more likely to result in positive conclusions about new therapies and products than research that is not sponsored by companies.

Drawing on real-life examples, Professor Lexchin’s lecture will investigate the possible ways in which bias can be introduced into research outcomes. This includes methods such as only publishing trials with positive results, reinterpreting data submitted to regulatory agencies, and even “ghostwriting” or hiring communications experts to write up study results under the signature of prominent academics.

There is no evidence that any of the preventative measures that have been introduced so far have stopped this bias and it's not clear that they have even slowed down the process, says Professor Lexchin. “What is needed is a paradigm change in the way we treat the relationship between pharmaceutical companies and the conduct and reporting of clinical trials.”

About Professor Joel Lexchin

Professor Joel Lexchin received his Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of Toronto in 1977 and for the past 28 years has been an emergency physician at the University Health Network, Canada. He is currently a professor in the School of Health Policy and Management at York University. He has been a consultant on pharmaceutical issues for the province of Ontario, various arms of the Canadian federal government, the World Health Organisation, the government of New Zealand and the Australian National Prescribing Service. He is an outspoken critic of the pharmaceutical industry and the way that Health Canada regulates drugs. He is currently completing a book on the relationship between the industry and the Canadian state.

What: Public seminar by Professor Joel Lexchin—Those with the gold make the evidence: the pharmaceutical industry and clinical trials

When: Wednesday 1 April 2015

Time: 12.30pm – 1.30pm

Where: Seminar Room CS801, Level 8 (H), Clinical Services Block, Wellington Regional Hospital (directions below)

To RSVP: Laura Burnet, School Administrator, laura.burnet@vuw.ac.nz

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