Washington – More than a quarter of the scientific committee members who advise the Food and Drug Administration on critical decisions affecting such products as cancer drugs and breast implants have financial ties to industry, a study published Tuesday found.
But the analysis in the Journal of the American Medical Association also found that even if the scientists and physicians with financial ties to industry had recused themselves from voting, none of the final results in 221 reviewed meetings would have changed.
Conducted by leading FDA critics, the study was hailed by supporters of the agency as proof that conflict-of-interest policies, strengthened in 2002 to require broader disclosure of industry interests, are working.
Still, Dr. Peter Lurie, the study’s lead author and the deputy director of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group, a consumer advocacy group, said the findings show that the FDA should further tighten its rules.
For example, although 28 percent of committee members disclosed financial conflicts, only 1 percent recused themselves from voting on related issues, a trend Lurie called unacceptable.
An advisory committee vote can seal the fate of billions of dollars in potential revenues for drug companies, since the FDA generally follows a panel’s recommendations.
Committee members are often physicians from top universities and teaching hospitals – institutions that are also among the leading recipients of industry research funds.
