In brief
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《英国医生杂志》
Spanish court dismisses drug company case: A Madrid court this week dismissed the demand for "rectification" brought against one of Spain's independent drug bulletins, Butlletí Groc, by Merck Sharp & Dohme. The bulletin had claimed in an article that the company had committed scientific fraud in a trial of its cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX 2) inhibitor rofecoxib (Vioxx) (24 January, p 188).
Czech Republic to outlaw caged beds in mental hospitals: A new law will ban the use of caged beds in institutions such as mental hospitals and old age homes in the Czech Republic by the end of this year. A recent report criticised their widespread use in the country, though some psychiatrists defend the practice ( BMJ 2003;327: 1249).
Drug companies start trial of "male pill": A clinical trial of the so called "male pill," a hormonal fertility control method for men, has been launched in 14 European centres in a joint initiative between pharmaceutical companies Organon and Schering.
Scientists oppose restrictions on assisted reproduction: Nobel laureates Renato Dulbecco and Rita Levi Montalcini and former health minister Umberto Veronesi are backing an appeal by scientists against a new law on assisted reproduction that is waiting for final approval by the lower chamber of the Italian parliament. The law forbids sperm and egg donation, embryo freezing, and prenatal diagnosis; limits to three the number of oocytes that can be fertilised; and makes it mandatory to implant all the embryos created (3 January, p 9).
Conflict of interest is common among drug researchers: Almost four out of 10 studies investigating drug treatments had authors with a conflict of interest, according to an analysis of the New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA. All original manuscripts published during 2001 were analysed. Nearly 39% of studies investigating drug treatments had authors with a conflict of interest ( Journal of Internal Medicine 2004:19: 1).
Czech Republic to outlaw caged beds in mental hospitals: A new law will ban the use of caged beds in institutions such as mental hospitals and old age homes in the Czech Republic by the end of this year. A recent report criticised their widespread use in the country, though some psychiatrists defend the practice ( BMJ 2003;327: 1249).
Drug companies start trial of "male pill": A clinical trial of the so called "male pill," a hormonal fertility control method for men, has been launched in 14 European centres in a joint initiative between pharmaceutical companies Organon and Schering.
Scientists oppose restrictions on assisted reproduction: Nobel laureates Renato Dulbecco and Rita Levi Montalcini and former health minister Umberto Veronesi are backing an appeal by scientists against a new law on assisted reproduction that is waiting for final approval by the lower chamber of the Italian parliament. The law forbids sperm and egg donation, embryo freezing, and prenatal diagnosis; limits to three the number of oocytes that can be fertilised; and makes it mandatory to implant all the embryos created (3 January, p 9).
Conflict of interest is common among drug researchers: Almost four out of 10 studies investigating drug treatments had authors with a conflict of interest, according to an analysis of the New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA. All original manuscripts published during 2001 were analysed. Nearly 39% of studies investigating drug treatments had authors with a conflict of interest ( Journal of Internal Medicine 2004:19: 1).