Compromising the medical literature: the hidden influence of industry-biased articles.

摘要

In a letter to the editor in this issue of American Family Physician (AFP), Dr. Hyatt and colleagues note that documents revealed in litigation show that manufacturer-funded studies were selectively published and manipulated to exaggerate claims that gabapentin (Neurontin) was effective for the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The manufacturers of Neurontin paid medical education and communication companies up to Dollars 18,000 per publication for developing articles, reviews, and letters aimed at promoting off-label use of gabapentin for neuropathic pain and bipolar disorder. They also conducted "seeding trials," which are clinical studies primarily designed for marketing rather than scientific purposes.