... when a drug company conjures up the concept for an article that will counteract criticism of a drug or embellish its benefits, hires a professional writing company to draft a manuscript conveying the company's message, retains a physician to sign off as the author, and finds a publisher to unwittingly publish the work.
As a researcher this type of thing amazes me.
Update: A new article with some added detail. To give you an idea of the scope:
In 1997, for example, DesignWrite, a medical communications company in Princeton, N.J., proposed to Wyeth a two-year plan that would include the preparation of about 30 articles for publication in medical journals.
It is amazing how they get away with this act, having the author act as a physician just to try and sell the drug. It should be illegal. This so called author may not know anything about this type of drug and trys to sell it toi others. Who knows if the effects are correct or cures the problem.
ReplyDeleteStaci Beck
Ghostwriting should be illegal. Even though some ghostwriting seems innocent, like editing autobiographies for celebrities, it is still putting someone else's name on someone's work. Isn't another word for that plagiarism? And this type of ghostwriting could be dangerous. What if the drug causes serious health problems? The author doesn't care. The author just wants to be paid.
ReplyDeleteI find this practice not only immoral but also somewhat frightening. It reminds me, somewhat, of the controversy over the ad that featured Dr. Jarvis and the promotion of Lipitor. Was he really qualified to endorse this drug?
ReplyDeleteI pasted a link to another site that speaks about this issue--interestingly, the site author doesn't have a problem with it.
http://dubcross.multiply.com/journal/item/94/Dr._Robert_Jarvis
This act should be illegal. We as people have faith in doctors and reseachers to find a way to keep us healthy. This, to me, shows that the people who do "ghostwriting" are just money hungry, and are not in it for the good of the people, but just the good of themselves.
ReplyDeleteTyisha Murray
I think ghostwriting is obviously immoral because it leads people to think that actual medical opinions are legitimate instead of just bought and paid for. I also think it should obviously be illegal. On tv today, we see doctors being paid to endorse a product in a television commercial. This is the same kind of thing, except this time it becomes more dangerous because instead of the words "paid endorser" running across the bottom of the screen, the reader of the medical journal thinks that the entire article is medically sound and legitimate. Because they require that paid endorser sticker on tv, i'm surprised they do not require anything in these cases.
ReplyDeleteI think ghostwriting is immoral and should be illegal. After reading the second article, I was amazed and disgusted. How can a doctor, who took a hippocratic oath, be so careless as to sign a document for something he knows little or nothing about? It is irresponsible for the drug companies to allow this practice to take place. They are essentially putting a price on someone's life. In a competetive field, drug companies are constantly trying to create the best medicines, and rather than thinking of the effects of the medicine, they just want to get paid. There have been more and more cases where drugs have been recalled, and people have been paid settlements. It kind of makes you wonder.
ReplyDeleteOver the last decade our country has seen what the healthcare industry really cares about: making money. The drug companies have that same mindset. It's unfortunate for students, looking to get their name out into the science world, get roped in to drug companies schemes. It's a sad thing that we aren't thoroughly testing drugs to understand their total effect and even sadder that the scientists who develop these drugs know this. In a way, I do think ghostwriting should be illegal--drug companies almost knowingly get a drug regulated so they can make money. But, in a way, those students who sign their name or contribute to a report about a drug but second guess themselves or know that what they are doing has the potential to be recalled or taken off of the market deserve the consequences. Ghostwriting shouldn't even be happening because the illegal practice isn't the signing/writing of the report, its the deveopment of the untested drugs and the "people" who should be held responsible are ultimately the scientists who develop those drugs.
ReplyDeleteLaine Radell
Ghost writing is a scary concept, and is the opposite of what drug companies should be doing. The consequences of ghost writing is undescribable and I cannot believe that it is legal. Not only is it scary that someone makes up an article twisting a drugs affects on a person, but even me worrying that then a doctor signs off on them. Doctors or pharmacists allow these articles to be produced full knowing that it is embellishing the positives and not fairly explaining the negatives. The USA's idea on health insurance has shown that they put money over a persons life. Hopefully this will be prevented in the future, for the well being of patients who need help and should be able to trust their doctors.
ReplyDeleteAsia
Ghost Writing is certainly immoral, however it is not illegal, nor should it be. I don't think that it is possible to make advertising illegal. Many companies tell you what you want to hear. For example--the ONSTAR commercials are just as immoral. They use FEAR to sell a product. Is that illegal? No, it is not. Consumer beware--is best practice. With healthcare moving into more of a independent practice--the doctor having his hand on the door knob as you're speaking with them... Patients have to be the educated consumer and take liability when our advocates (physcians and health care professionals) will not. We have to protect oursevles. We have do our own research and understand a product completely before using. We have to read between the lines and decide for ourselves if something is right for us. We cannot always leave that in the hands of others. We have to take ownership for our actions. And with technology where it is today, information is at our fingertips.
ReplyDeleteOladipupo
I agree that ghostwriting is wrong. We have money hungry writers being given the task of making a particular drug look good. Thier writing is then taken and signed by some doctor to make it look as though he looked into it himself. though, to some extent they have the excuse of commercials and billboards having the same effect of persuassive writing. Each shows the viewer/reader the consequences and then does away with them by showing you how amazing the results could potentially be if everything goes exactly right. A big difference is that these articles are given more of a believalbe foundation with the signature of a doctor. That is plagarism.
ReplyDeleteBeth McDonald