Sponsored by the Office for History of Science and Technology (UC Berkeley)
And the History of Health Sciences Program (UCSF)
Mark Parascandola
Tobacco Control Research Branch
National Cancer Institute
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Biomedical Scientists and Changing Definitions of Conflicts of Interest in the Post-War Period
In recent years there has been growing attention to potential conflicts of interest among scientists conducting biomedical research sponsored by private industry. In fact, the scientific community has actively struggled with concerns about conflicts of interest for over half a century, but the nature of these concerns has shifted dramatically since the early post-war years. Early discussions about conflicts of interest focused on government influence on science. As universities' dependence on federal funding grew during the 1950s and 1960s, scientific leaders voiced concerns about the independence of academic institutions and their research programs. But during the 1970s and 1980s the focus turned increasingly to relationships between individual scientists and private industry. This shift occurred during a time of public conflict over a range of environmental, consumer safety, and public health issues, in which scientists came to be viewed as vulnerable to potential sources of bias. This history provides essential context for understanding current tensions over how conflicts of interest are managed in biomedical research.
4:00PM
Monday, March 5, 2007
140 Barrows Hall
UC Berkeley
Office for History of Science and Technology, 543 Stephens Hall #2350
University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-2350
tel: (510) 642-4581, e-mail: ohst@berkeley.edu
