How it really works

doi:10.1136/bmj.a788

Published 15 July 2008, doi:10.1136/bmj.a788
Cite this as: BMJ 2008;337:a788

Letters

Key opinion leaders

How it really works

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

Buckwell pleads for an idealised state of transparent relationsbetween the industry and key opinion leaders.¹ The reality isdifferent. Here is a description from an internationally recognisedclinical scientist about his experience with the industry. Irespect his confidentiality and that of the corporation. Mycolleague’s experience is not atypical.

"When [the company] first began trumpeting the success of [theirdrug], I was asked to be on their speakers’ bureau. Ina large audience ... I departed from the script I was givenfor the published data to note that the effect size ... wassignificantly lower than the [alternative treatments]. Sincemost [of the audience] had no idea what "effect size" is, Igave a brief explanation. That evening I received a phone callin my hotel room from [the company’s] director of theprogram. He chastised me for being off message and warned menot to make . . . [Full text of this article]