Transparency is only a partial solution to conflict of interest. Senator Grassley has told him he is just getting started. Jerome Kassirer, M.D., Philadelphia Inquirer, Sunday February 8th.
Senator Grassley is a hard person to understand. On one side he is the champion for the little guy, and on the other he relentlessly attacks physicians armed with sometimes questionable evidence. But for the most part, his heart is in the right place.
This Sunday’s Philadelphia Inquirer featured an article on Senator Grassley. In it, the Senator is quoted as saying that "Most whistle-blowers are just going about trying to make sure things are done right, that money is being spent correctly, and they don't get anyplace, so out of frustration, they end up coming to a congressman or a senator."
The Senator is the author of the Federal False Claims Act, and to this day, has a special place in his heart for whistle blowers. The problem is that what started out as just going about trying to make sure things are done right, has blossomed into a multi-billion dollar industry for plaintiffs’ lawyers and a relationship with the Senator becomes an asset in advancing your case.
One physician quoted in the article is Steve Nissen who is deep in his quest to be named Food and Drug Administration Commissioner:
"His scrutiny of the relationships between academic physicians and industry has resulted in greater transparency and accountability for our profession."
Grassley says he is simply providing a forum for competing scientific ideas, not deciding which ones prevail.
From what we can tell, there will be a lot more to come from Senator Grassley.