A three-year investigation has found three psychiatrists affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston violated conflict of interest rules, according to a Boston Globe report.
Little detail is available on the specific nature of the violations committed by Joseph Biederman, MD, Thomas Spencer, MD, and Timothy Wilens, MD. In 2008, Iowa Republican Senator Charles Grassley accused the three physicians of accepting millions of dollars in consulting fees from drugmakers from 2000-2007 and failing to report the income to university officials for years.
MGH and Harvard launched their investigation after Sen. Grassley’s claims. The three physicians have apologized for the “unfavorable attention” brought to MGH and Harvard due to their “honest” mistakes, according to the report. They said they now recognize they should have paid more attention to the detailed requirements of conflict of interest policies.
MGH and Harvard have imposed remedial actions, according to the report. The physicians are required to refrain from all industry-sponsored outside activities for one year. They will undergo a two-year monitoring period and must obtain approval before engaging in paid activities. They are also required to undergo additional training and a delay in consideration for career advancement.
Read the Boston Globe report on the physicians of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
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