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Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
165-Page Internal NIH Report Lays Bare Just How Cozy Scientists Were With Alcohol Industry
"So many lines" were crossed in the alcohol study that people were "frankly shocked." The investigation was prompted by reports that scientists were wooing the alcohol industry to pay for the study that would tout the benefits of daily moderate drinking.
The director of the nation鈥檚 top health research agency pulled the plug on a study of alcohol鈥檚 health effects without hesitation on Friday, saying a Harvard scientist and some of his agency鈥檚 own staff had crossed 鈥渟o many lines鈥 in pursuit of alcohol industry funding that 鈥減eople were frankly shocked.鈥 A 165-page internal investigation prepared for Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, concluded that Kenneth J. Mukamal, the lead investigator of the trial, was in close, frequent contact with beer and liquor executives while designing the study. (Rabin, 6/18)
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