CORRUPTION WIDESPREAD
by Liz Lightfoot

A survey by the Institute of Professionals, Managers and Specialists has found that the corruption of science by commercial interests is widespread. A third of scientists working for Government quangos or newly-privatised laboratories admit that they have been asked to adjust their research conclusions to suit their funder. 17% of these said that the adjustment had been requested to suit the funder's preferred outcome, 10% to win further contracts, and 3% to discourage publication of the research findings. The editor of the British Medical Journal, Richard Smith, gives two examples of suspicious research:

• Research into alleged blood clotting by third generation oral contraceptives finds no evidence when funded by pharmaceutical companies but evidence of risk when funded by other sources
• Research into the risks of passive smoking tends to find no risk when funded by the tobacco industry. The BMJ now insists that authors of research papers declare their source(s) of funding and whether they have any competing interests.
  Daily Telegraph 14th February 2000, p8