BMJ 1999;318:464 ( 13 February )

Letters

Beyond conflict of interest

    What is truth as it relates to albumin?
    BMJ's editors should publish their own conflicts of interest regularly
    Perhaps authors should list "interests"
    Competing interests still exist
    Sponsored drug trials show more-favourable outcomes
    Biomedical journals need a concerted response against influence of tobacco industry
    Why do people affiliated with and paid by a particular industry hold a particular view?
    Non-financial conflicts of interest are more serious than financial conflicts

What is truth as it relates to albumin?

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR---The editor of the BMJ is so busy pointing the finger at others' conflicts of interest1 that he ignores one lurking at his own front door. I refer to the continuing controversy over albumin. Editors have to sell their journal, although giving a copy free to every member of the BMA does create a captive market that other editors do not enjoy. The conflict here is the editor's need to feature in the media competing with readers' need to be told the truth. What is truth and what is tendentious opinion masquerading as gospel? Offringa tried to clarify his original message2 when he said that by writing "halted" he meant that the use of albumin should not be halted.3

Is he to be criticised for over-egging the pudding, or is the editor to be criticised more for producing a mouse and calling it a mountain?

Oliver Dearlove, Consultant anaesthetist.  .
Department of Anaesthesia, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester M27 1HA o.dearlove@man.ac.uk

  1. Smith R. Beyond conflict of interest. BMJ 1998; 317: 291-292[Free Full Text]. (1 August.)
  2. Offringa M. Excess mortality after human albumin administration in critically ill patients. BMJ 1998; 317: 223-224[Free Full Text]. (25 July.)
  3. Offringa M. Consider validity, clinical relevance, and applicability of albumin for critically ill patients. BMJ 1998; 317: 343[Free Full Text]. (1 August.)

BMJ's editors should publish their own conflicts of interest regularly

EDITOR---The . . . [Full text of this article]
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Articles

Beyond conflict of interest
Richard Smith
BMJ 1998 317: 291-292. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Human albumin administration in critically ill patients: systematic review of randomised controlled trials • Why albumin may not work
Cochrane Injuries Group Albumin Reviewers and Cochrane Injuries Group Albumin Reviewers
BMJ 1998 317: 235-240. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Sponsored drug trials show more favourable outcome
Hugh Boardman
bmj.com, 16 Feb 1999 [Full text]
Sponsored drug trials show more-favorable outcomes
Michael J Tidd
bmj.com, 27 Feb 1999 [Full text]
Sponsored trials not necessarily more favourable
J N S Matthews
bmj.com, 5 Mar 1999 [Full text]
Conflict of Interest in Abuse Referrals?
Brian Morgan
bmj.com, 8 Apr 1999 [Full text]
Editorial independence
Robert F Garry
bmj.com, 27 May 1999 [Full text]
Access jobs at BMJ Careers
Whats new online at Student BMJ