Medical Journals To Follow New Policy

BOSTON-Two prominent American medical journals will no longer let pharmaceutical companies determine conclusions of studies. Instead, editors at The New England Journal of Medicine and The Lancet will rely on the researchers who conducted the work to write the conclusions to their studies.

This decision comes after reported cases of drug companies influencing and pressuring editorial staff members to print articles that incorrectly favored their product. In a few reported cases, companies attempted to block publication of a study if it was not favorable for their company.

Officials at both journals say this decision will give the power to the scientist conducting the experiment. While many studies are funded by pharmaceutical companies, the researchers will now have more independence in reporting their findings, rather than what a pharmaceutical company representative would like to have published.

Information from www.washingtonpost.com