New England Journal's publisher in conflict of interest dispute

BMJ 1999;319:1220 ( 6 November )

News

New England Journal's publisher in conflict of interest dispute

Scott Gottlieb , New York
The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

A prominent official of the Massachusetts Medical Society, the non-profit group that owns the New England Journal of Medicine,has been criticised for not adequately disclosing his financialties to an internet start-up company that has concluded a lucrativedeal with hisjournal.

Some officials of the Massachusetts Medical Society and the New England Journal of Medicine say that they were aware of DrBarry Manuel's ties to HealthGate Data, an internet company basedin Burlington, Massachusetts, which has acquired exclusive rightsto distribute a new, simplified web version of the journal forlayreaders.

But others at the society have told the Wall Street Journal and the Boston Herald that they did not believe they were adequatelyinformed of Dr Manuel's financial ties to the company. Dr Manuel'sson in law is chairman and chief executive of HealthGate. Dr Manuel,who is a Boston University dean, was the medical . . . [Full text of this article]