Study: Conflicts of interest may affect pandemic r

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Study: Conflicts of interest may affect pandemic risk assessment

UK academics with conflicts of interest, such as ties to drug companies, were about six times more likely to categorize 2009 H1N1 pandemic flu (pH1N1) as a higher risk than official predictions stated, compared with academic who had no such conflicts, a study yesterday in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health found.

Researchers analyzed UK newspaper articles on pH1N1 flu and noted when academics made a risk assessment of the pandemic. They also assessed conflicts of interest from 2005 through 2009 for each professional. They used this definition:"Conflicts of interests exists when an author (…) has financial or personal relationships that inappropriately influence (bias) his or her actions," which includes such factors as ties to pharmaceutical companies.

When both academics and government agencies estimated the risk posed by H1N1, one in two academics assessed the risk as higher than official predictions, the authors found. They found that academic with conflicts of interest had a 5.8 times higher chance of attributing a greater risk to the pandemic than was described in official estimates, compared with those who had no conflicts of interest.

The authors conclude that academics should declare these ties and journalists should report them.
Nov 11 J Epidemiol Community Health study

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arirish Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: June 19 2013 Location: Arkansas Status: Offline Points: 39215	Post Options Post Reply Quote arirish Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Study: Conflicts of interest may affect pandemic r Posted: November 13 2013 at 6:04pm
	Study: Conflicts of interest may affect pandemic risk assessment UK academics with conflicts of interest, such as ties to drug companies, were about six times more likely to categorize 2009 H1N1 pandemic flu (pH1N1) as a higher risk than official predictions stated, compared with academic who had no such conflicts, a study yesterday in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health found. Researchers analyzed UK newspaper articles on pH1N1 flu and noted when academics made a risk assessment of the pandemic. They also assessed conflicts of interest from 2005 through 2009 for each professional. They used this definition:"Conflicts of interests exists when an author (…) has financial or personal relationships that inappropriately influence (bias) his or her actions," which includes such factors as ties to pharmaceutical companies. When both academics and government agencies estimated the risk posed by H1N1, one in two academics assessed the risk as higher than official predictions, the authors found. They found that academic with conflicts of interest had a 5.8 times higher chance of attributing a greater risk to the pandemic than was described in official estimates, compared with those who had no conflicts of interest. The authors conclude that academics should declare these ties and journalists should report them. Nov 11 J Epidemiol Community Health study
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