Diabetes expert accuses drug company of "intimidation"

doi:10.1136/bmj.39409.458611.DB

BMJ 2007;335:1113 (1 December), doi:10.1136/bmj.39409.458611.DB

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Diabetes expert accuses drug company of "intimidation"

Bob Burton

Canberra

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

The former chairman of research and development at GlaxoSmithKline,Tadataka Yamada, has been asked by a US Senate committee toexplain his role in what it describes as the "intimidation"of John Buse, a professor of medicine at the University of NorthCarolina.

In 1999 Dr Buse raised questions about the cardiovascular safetyof the diabetes drug rosiglitazone, which is marketed as Avandia(BMJ 2007;334:1237 doi: 10.1136/bmj.39244.394456.DB). He wasspeaking at a symposium organised by the American Diabetes Association.

A report by the Senate Finance Committee staff has shown thata company official emailed Dr Yamada proposing that a "firmletter" be written to Dr Buse containing a warning that "thepunishment will be that we will complain up his academic lineand to the CME [continuing medical education] granting bodiesthat accredit his activities."

In response Dr Yamada wrote: "I think there are two coursesof action. . . . [Full text of this article]

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