BMJ  2006;333:1237 (16 December), doi:10.1136/bmj.39062.603495.DB

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Researcher received undisclosed payments of $300 000 from Pfizer

¹ Boston

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

A federal research scientist working for the US National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) pleaded guilty last week to a charge that he had not declared a conflict of interest to his employers.

Pearson "Trey" Sunderland III, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour charge that he failed to report about $300 000 (£150 000; 230 000) worth of consulting fees and expense payments from Pfizer. Under the plea agreement, Dr Sunderland will pay back the $300 000 to the federal government, and prosecutors say they plan to recommend that he also serve 400 hours of community service and be placed on probation for two years.

Dr Sunderland's activities came under scrutiny when Susan Molchan, a former NIMH researcher, blew the whistle on him when she suspected that he had diverted samples of cerebrospinal fluid that she had obtained during a study of 25 subjects.

When Dr Molchan left the NIMH in . . . [Full text of this article]

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Investigators will review conflicts of interest at NIH

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Rapid Responses:

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Enforce Conflict of Interest, Encourage Whistle Blowing

Dr. Ajai R. Singh
bmj.com, 10 Mar 2007 [Full text]

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