Australian Psychiatrists Embroiled in Conflict-of-interest Row
Posted: February 13th, 2012 | Author: Michael Courtenay | Filed under: Applied Science, Cankler Science News, Medicated, STANDOUT | Tags: Advisory Council on Mental Health, Conflict-of-interest, Dr John Mendoza, Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre, Naomi Rogers, National Mental Health Commission, Professor Ian Hickie, Professor Jon Jureidini, Professor Patrick McGorry, Standout, The Lancet, Valdoxan | No Comments »
Several conspicuous academics have sent letters to prestigious British medical journal The Lancet, claiming prominent psychiatric Professor Ian Hickie had a serious conflict of interest in his review of a new drug, Valdoxan. Professor Hickie, who is from Sydney’s Brain and Mind Institute and one of eight new national mental health commissioners, says he is the victim of a campaign to discredit his work.
Hickie has also been accused of down playing the side effects of Valdoxan, an antidepressant marketed for the treatment of major depressive disorder. So far six letters, in response to the Hickie review, have been published in The Lancet, all of which are critical. Hickie and his co-author Naomi Rogers have both replied to the criticism.
