Monthly Archives: February 2013

Josesph Dummit’s article spoke about the advertising and dialogue used by pharmaceutical companies and how this leads to consumers believing that they might have depression, high cholesterol, etc, even when they do not. While I thought that Dummit raised some … Continue reading →

Sismondo suggests that a total severing of the relationships between the pharmaceutical industry and medical research is the most complete solution to the problem of bias within the system of research, trials and publication on drugs. Such a separation between … Continue reading →

At the end of his paper, Sismondo suggests nationalizing clinical trial planning and funding in order to avoid the issues which come about as a result of industry funded research. I think this is an interesting suggestion and opens up … Continue reading →

I often experience a certain amount of pessimistic skepticism when I encounter discussions that posit the development of policy as a solution to a particular ill.  In this case, I refer specifically to the section entitled “An International Standard of … Continue reading →

In his article, Ghosts in the Machine: Publication Planning in the Medical Sciences, Sismondo attempts to explore the relationship of publication planners to the pharmaceutical industry. Their job is to assist pharmaceutical companies in their research and most importantly: the … Continue reading →

                The recent financial meltdown revealed large bond ratings agencies, notably Moody’s, Finch and S&P, would rate “toxic bonds” as “prime”. To clarify, certain profit-seeking companies are paid to rate bonds (kinds of … Continue reading →