Multiverse: Confliction Affliction
07.01.09
A quirky look at nutraceuticals in a parallel universe
Inset: Almost any 'expert' can be bought. Should the 'buy' be disclosed to all?
Setting: Saturday morning radio broadcast, "MV Sports Talk," Digital frequency 66.12a.578, 16 July 2009.
Jeff Sable: "Good morning, I'm Jeff Sable and you're on Sports Talk. What's your name and where are you calling from?"
Radio Caller, Adam: "Hi Jeff! My name is Adam and I'm calling from Constellation 44.3x. I read this week's cover story in MV Sports Illuminated and I've got to say what really struck me is NOT the topic of drugs in sports, NOT how easy it is to sell performance enhancing nutrition aids, and NOT how many products out there lack ANY safety or effectiveness data. What makes my brain hurt are the PhDs and MDs out there that are 'hired guns' for companies, who DON'T disclose this 'hand in back pocket' relationship to the public!"
Jeff Sable: "I feel your pain, Adam. My good buddy Aaron Vidas, who co-authored the article in MVSI, told me they could have had a separate 3000-word piece on conflicts of interest in the performance nutrition industry. But know this, Adam: The failure to disclose a conflict is not unique to performance nutrition companies. It is prevalent in the food, drug, and cosmetics industries, too. What makes MY brain hurt is the fact that many of these companies will 'hook' a scientist by first sponsoring a study in their laboratory and then-if the results are positive-they will often pay them consulting fees, honoraria, provide travel, etc. Money for research, and then money for being essentially a spokesperson. And we rarely know about this…"
Adam: "Why aren't these disclosures made public? It is an outrage to keep this hidden, under the guise of being an 'unbiased' researcher."
Jeff Sable: "Fear not my friend. Rules of enforcement are underway. Aaron also told me that two 'fences' are being built, which will go into effect on 1 January of next year, putting a spotlight on this issue. First, all forms of advertising that employ a non-employee expert spokesperson-like the PhDs and MDs you mentioned-will be required to disclose any financial interests. Consulting fees, royalties, research grants for future research, lab equipment, air travel and lodging, stock options…heck, even a martini lunch. The closet will be opened and the secrets will be revealed. It will be interesting to see how many 'experts' out there have a spine after this rule goes into effect. I can easily see the 'unpaid' peers of these experts heaping a lot of grief on those that are paid, and being unholier than thou.
"The second fence stipulates that any research study seeking to be published in a scientific journal of any repute must first be 'registered' with a clinical trials registry. It's like letting all of your friends know that you are going out on a date with a certain person in ADVANCE of the actual date, and putting that notice out in public on a multiverse cybernode. That way you can't 'bury' the fact that you had a date with someone if it didn't 'work out.' THIS is the one I'm anxious to see because, as depicted in the MVSI article, a lot of 'dates' get buried, and only those that 'worked out' get mentioned."
Setting: Saturday morning radio broadcast, "MV Sports Talk," Digital frequency 66.12a.578, 16 July 2009.
Jeff Sable: "Good morning, I'm Jeff Sable and you're on Sports Talk. What's your name and where are you calling from?"
Radio Caller, Adam: "Hi Jeff! My name is Adam and I'm calling from Constellation 44.3x. I read this week's cover story in MV Sports Illuminated and I've got to say what really struck me is NOT the topic of drugs in sports, NOT how easy it is to sell performance enhancing nutrition aids, and NOT how many products out there lack ANY safety or effectiveness data. What makes my brain hurt are the PhDs and MDs out there that are 'hired guns' for companies, who DON'T disclose this 'hand in back pocket' relationship to the public!"
Jeff Sable: "I feel your pain, Adam. My good buddy Aaron Vidas, who co-authored the article in MVSI, told me they could have had a separate 3000-word piece on conflicts of interest in the performance nutrition industry. But know this, Adam: The failure to disclose a conflict is not unique to performance nutrition companies. It is prevalent in the food, drug, and cosmetics industries, too. What makes MY brain hurt is the fact that many of these companies will 'hook' a scientist by first sponsoring a study in their laboratory and then-if the results are positive-they will often pay them consulting fees, honoraria, provide travel, etc. Money for research, and then money for being essentially a spokesperson. And we rarely know about this…"
Adam: "Why aren't these disclosures made public? It is an outrage to keep this hidden, under the guise of being an 'unbiased' researcher."
Jeff Sable: "Fear not my friend. Rules of enforcement are underway. Aaron also told me that two 'fences' are being built, which will go into effect on 1 January of next year, putting a spotlight on this issue. First, all forms of advertising that employ a non-employee expert spokesperson-like the PhDs and MDs you mentioned-will be required to disclose any financial interests. Consulting fees, royalties, research grants for future research, lab equipment, air travel and lodging, stock options…heck, even a martini lunch. The closet will be opened and the secrets will be revealed. It will be interesting to see how many 'experts' out there have a spine after this rule goes into effect. I can easily see the 'unpaid' peers of these experts heaping a lot of grief on those that are paid, and being unholier than thou.
"The second fence stipulates that any research study seeking to be published in a scientific journal of any repute must first be 'registered' with a clinical trials registry. It's like letting all of your friends know that you are going out on a date with a certain person in ADVANCE of the actual date, and putting that notice out in public on a multiverse cybernode. That way you can't 'bury' the fact that you had a date with someone if it didn't 'work out.' THIS is the one I'm anxious to see because, as depicted in the MVSI article, a lot of 'dates' get buried, and only those that 'worked out' get mentioned."
