Joseph Biederman, M,D,, the renowned Harvard Child Psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass. General), has agreed to temporarily stop all work on industry activities, including clinical trials, until an investigation of his alleged failure to report industry payments is complete.
The agreement with Mass. General stated that Dr. Biederman will "not participate in any outside activities that are paid for, or sponsored by, industry, such as consulting activities and speaking engagements," and that he will stop his involvement in industry-funded activities within Mass. General, including research. He is transferring the clinical trial work to another physician in his practice. Dr. Biederman will continue to see patients and participate in research funded by the National Institutes for Health (NIH).
Senator Grassley said in a statement that “It’s positive that Massachusetts General Hospital is taking some action.”
In letters to several newspapers, including The Boston Globe, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Dr. Biederman stated he has “always been extremely conscientious about my disclosure responsibilities to the institutions that employ me. Moreover, the $58,169 that J&J [Johnson & Johnson] reported to Senator Charles Grassley that it paid me in 2001 is incorrect. That sum includes a $50,000 educational grant to support a scientific conference made to
Massachusetts General Hospital that was not, in any way, for personal use. In fact, I earned $3,500 from J&J that year – – the amount I reported to the Senator.”
Also, in the letters he stated, that “a better understanding of this devastating [bipolar] disorder has led to more effective treatment options."
Dr. Biederman also brought up good points, in that, these investigations may be part of a larger effort to discredit the whole research and treatment efforts around children and psychiatric disorders. These are difficult areas of science, and there is no single right answer in treating children with these disorders.
Frontline recently updated their website to include a clip on bi-polar disease and children which, until Dr. Biederman’s paper, was not a diagnosis in children.
One major concern is that these investigations and articles on psychiatry will cast a cloud of doubt in the publics’ mind on the validity of the research, and, parents and patients, that would otherwise benefit from these treatments, will be hesitant to begin them.
This is a prudent move by both Mass. General and Dr. Biederman. In reading his letters, there is much to be said about getting the facts before taking steps to discipline a dedicated researcher. This is a lesson that both the newspapers and Senate investigators, both of which should take note.
Additional Resources
The New York Times: Child Psychiatrist to Curtail Industry-Financed Activities
The Boston Globe: Doctor to Halt Drug Maker Activities
The Wall Street Journal: Drug Researcher Agrees to Curb Role
The Wall Street Journal Blog: Harvard Psychiatrist Biederman Stops Industry Funded Work amid Probe
Dr. Biederman’s Letter to The Wall Street Journal: I Was Doing the Right Thing
Dr. Biederman’s Letter to The New York Times: Poor Reporting
Frontline: Ask Your Doctor