Industry-Funded Medical Research Skewed Toward Industry

[Guest guest]

I found this on Dr. Mercola's website and thought it was

interesting...

Misty

http://www..com

 

Industry-Funded Medical Research Skewed Toward Industry

 

Conflicts of interest that arise from industry-funded medical

research are widespread and can affect the outcomes of the research,

according to a new study.

 

The study found that scientific studies funded by an industry-

related source are close to four times more likely to yield results

that favor the industry than those sponsored by independent sources.

 

Researchers analyzed data from eight individual articles that had

addressed the association between industry sponsorship and research

outcome. They combined data from these studies, which together

amounted to 1,140 original studies, in order to reach a conclusion

that may be more reliable than the original studies alone.

 

Results showed that industry-sponsored studies were 3.6 times more

likely to have results that favored the industry than studies with

no financial ties to the industry.

 

While researchers noted that industry sponsorship of medical

research has contributed to scientific progress, conflicts of

interest presented by financial ties to the industry may undermine

the integrity of the research.

 

They stressed that in order to preserve the benefits and future

advancement of scientific research, measures will need to be taken

to understand and monitor the consequences of industry-backed

research. As a first step, they recommend that investigators and

sponsors fully disclose the nature of their relationship and results

from clinical trials be made available in a publicly accessible

database.

 

Journal of the American Medical Association January 22, 2003;289:454-

465

 

 

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DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENT:

 

The traditional medical paradigm is fatally flawed. Relying on drugs

and surgeries to correct diseases caused by poor diet and stress is

a prescription for disaster.

 

If you haven't seen the signs around you please take notice. Health

costs are rising through the roof, and shortly we will be spending

over $2 trillion a year for health care in the United States.

 

It is safe to estimate that over three-fourths of this money is

wasted on short-term fixes, primarily drugs and surgeries, which in

no way address the long-term cause of the problem.

 

If those funds were redirected to optimize food and stress concerns,

we would have more than enough funds left over to help the more than

40 million uninsured Americans.

 

The above JAMA editorial provides a solid review of the pervasive

influence of drug companies.

 

By being aware of their self-interested motives you can keep

yourself from falling into their deceptive traps.

 

www.mercola.com