Press Fails to Say Who Funds Drug Studies

The news media often fail to report when a drug study has been funded by pharmaceutical companies, according to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Press accounts often use brand names instead of generic names when talking about medications.

The first problem is a bigger issue than the second because it speaks to a larger point about conflicts of interest. (Using generics names instead of brand names may simply be too idealistic a request--like remembering to ask for a tissue instead of a Kleenex).

Just because someone pays for a study doesn't mean it's necessarily biased but you should at least have the information. Which is why I'm glad that some pharmaceutical giants are now now making public the fees they make to outside doctors. Often the toughest part about medical reporting is not getting the technical facts right but rather finding an expert who hasn't been paid to promote his or her opinion.