The New England Journal of Medicine is relaxing its longstanding rules on conflict of interest so that it can publish evaluations of new drugs by researchers with financial ties to the manufacturers because it cannot find enough experts without financial ties to drug companies.

In an editorial, the journal's editors say the change means its readership will be better and more promptly informed about drugs that are just coming on the market and have been studied only in trials funded by industry. Editors concede there is a risk that the objectivity of authors may be …