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Friday, 15 January 2010 15:07 GMT
U.S. clinical researcher charged with falsifying medical research
LONDON, Jan 15 (APM) - A highly respected and influential clinical researcher, Dr Scott Reuben, has been charged with falsifying medical research, including studies that were published in medical journals regarding pain management, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
In a statement, the Attorney's office said Reuben is alleged to have solicited and obtained research grants from pharmaceutical companies to perform research studies on pain management, often associated with various surgical procedures, but he did not actually perform the research studies.
"Instead he made up patient data, submitted it to medical journals and caused false articles to appear in a number of medical journals," the statement added.
If convicted, Reuben faces up to 10 years imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration - Office of Criminal Investigations, Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Associated Press reported that court documents indicate that Reuben has agreed to plead guilty in exchange for prosecutors recommending a more lenient sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and forfeiture of assets worth at least $50,000 that Reuben received for the research.
Reuben, took leave after the Baystate Medical Centre in Springfield said last year that a routine review found that some of his research was not approved by an internal hospital review board. Further investigation found 21 papers published in anesthesiology journals between 1996 and 2008 in which Reuben made up some or all data, the hospital said.
AP said the hospital asked the journals to retract the studies, some of which reported favourable results from painkillers including Pfizer's Bextra, Celebrex and Lyrica and Merck's Vioxx. His studies also claimed Wyeth's antidepressant Effexor could be used as a pain killer.
Vioxx and Bextra - among the class of painkillers known as Cox-2 inhibitors - were pulled from the market amid mounting evidence they raised the risk of heart attack, stroke and death. Celebrex is still on the market. Lyrica is a treatment for fibromyalgia, the news agency said.
Reuben's attorney said last year that his client cooperated with the hospital review and expressed regret. The lawyer did not immediately return a call for comment Thursday on the federal complaint.
The newswire added that Pfizer gave Reuben five research grants between 2002 and 2007. He also was a member of the company's speakers bureau, giving talks about Pfizer drugs to colleagues. The company has said it was not involved in the conduct of Reuben's studies or in the interpretation or publication of the results.
The investigation was first reported by the trade publication, Anesthesiology News.
The journal Anesthesia & Analgesia retracted 10 of Reuben's studies last February. The journal Anesthesiology said last year that it had retracted three, AP said.
ra/nh
[17794] 15/01/2010 15:07 GMT - GENERAL
In a statement, the Attorney's office said Reuben is alleged to have solicited and obtained research grants from pharmaceutical companies to perform research studies on pain management, often associated with various surgical procedures, but he did not actually perform the research studies.
"Instead he made up patient data, submitted it to medical journals and caused false articles to appear in a number of medical journals," the statement added.
If convicted, Reuben faces up to 10 years imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration - Office of Criminal Investigations, Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Associated Press reported that court documents indicate that Reuben has agreed to plead guilty in exchange for prosecutors recommending a more lenient sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and forfeiture of assets worth at least $50,000 that Reuben received for the research.
Reuben, took leave after the Baystate Medical Centre in Springfield said last year that a routine review found that some of his research was not approved by an internal hospital review board. Further investigation found 21 papers published in anesthesiology journals between 1996 and 2008 in which Reuben made up some or all data, the hospital said.
AP said the hospital asked the journals to retract the studies, some of which reported favourable results from painkillers including Pfizer's Bextra, Celebrex and Lyrica and Merck's Vioxx. His studies also claimed Wyeth's antidepressant Effexor could be used as a pain killer.
Vioxx and Bextra - among the class of painkillers known as Cox-2 inhibitors - were pulled from the market amid mounting evidence they raised the risk of heart attack, stroke and death. Celebrex is still on the market. Lyrica is a treatment for fibromyalgia, the news agency said.
Reuben's attorney said last year that his client cooperated with the hospital review and expressed regret. The lawyer did not immediately return a call for comment Thursday on the federal complaint.
The newswire added that Pfizer gave Reuben five research grants between 2002 and 2007. He also was a member of the company's speakers bureau, giving talks about Pfizer drugs to colleagues. The company has said it was not involved in the conduct of Reuben's studies or in the interpretation or publication of the results.
The investigation was first reported by the trade publication, Anesthesiology News.
The journal Anesthesia & Analgesia retracted 10 of Reuben's studies last February. The journal Anesthesiology said last year that it had retracted three, AP said.
ra/nh
[17794] 15/01/2010 15:07 GMT - GENERAL
