Cornell University researchers have discovered why gorillas eat rotting wood: for the salt. Remote areas often lack sufficient salt for their human and animal denizens and, recognizing that salt is an essential nutrient to survival, all species go to often-disgusting extremes to get the salt they need. The research will be published shortly by the Royal Society of Biology, according to a Fox News report July 10th.
This week's Journal of the American Medical Association included an editorial by editor-in-chief Dr. Catherine D. DeAngelis announcing the prestigious journal's tightening of its conflict-of-interest policy in response to scientists' failure to disclose all financial ties to pharmaceutical companies. Said DeAngelis:
Authors are expected to provide detailed information about all relevant financial interests and relationships or financial conflicts within the past 5 years and for the foreseeable future (eg, employment/affiliation, grants or funding, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony,royalties, or patents filed, received, or pending), particularly those present at the time the research was conductedand through publication, as well as other financial interests (such as patent applications in preparation) that represent potential future financial gain.
Avoiding conflicts of interest is obviously a good thing and disclosure of funding relationships is certainly important in that regard. But JAMA's new rules don't get the job done.
JAMA's new rules are fundamentally flawed. They limit consideration of financial conflicts of interest to those with funding ties to private industry, totally ignoring the fact that many researchers sustain their professional careers fulfilling the agendas of government health agencies. Major studies can bring in nine-figure grants or contracts and lead to career-enhancing publications, professional visibility -- and more grants. Public health agencies have their favored strategies and their own special interests. JAMA would do well to have these conflicts disclosed too.
Harvard professor Thomas Stossel made much the same point in an op ed in the Washington Post July 2nd where he pointed out that journal editors play favorites, imposing (entirely appropriate) rigorous peer-review standards on academic researchers while exempting public interest groups from such scrutiny despite the fact that they often receive grants from parties at interest too.
