Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation
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Letter
Open Access Full Text Article
Disclosure of conflicts of interest and credibility for the medical profession This article was published in the following Dove Press journal: Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation 30 December 2015 Number of times this article has been viewed
Alain Braillon 1,* Bernard Granger 2,* Alcohol Treatment Unit, Amiens University Hospital, Amiens, 2 Department of Psychiatry, Tarnier Hospital (AP-HP), Paris, France 1
*Both authors contributed equally to this work
Dear editor We were surprised by an unbalanced review about nalmefene for alcohol dependence, wherein the authors had stated no conflicts of interest (COIs).1 The Editor in Chief and the Publisher were very professional when we stressed our concerns, and they must be commended. They accepted publication of a critical free evaluation based upon evidence where we also called for full disclosure of COIs.2 The authors’ correction acknowledged several links (consultancies, honoraria, speaker fees, travel grants) for several pharmaceutical companies, including Lundbeck, which markets nalmefene.3 However, existing links with Grey Healthcare France were not provided. Grey Healthcare is “a full-service, global, integrated communications agency”, which claims “our market-leading campaigns generate brand engagement, grow sales …”, and has among its clients Lundbeck for nalmefene. Such links should have been disclosed according to the French Sunshine Act. Whatever the law could be, science integrity requires that all COIs, financial or otherwise, that could ever have affected a researcher’s judgment should be declared. They overcome our most basic medical commitment: to care for those who need it, and also constitute a crisis of credibility for the medical profession.4
Disclosure AB was coinvestigator for the clinical trial ALPADIR (baclofen). BG has no conflict of interest related to this communication.
References Correspondence: Alain Braillon Alcohol Treatment Unit, Amiens University Hospital, Amiens 80000, France Email [email protected]
1. Paille F, Martini H. Nalmefene: a new approach to the treatment of alcohol dependence. Subst Abuse Rehabil. 2014;5:87–94. 2. Braillon A, Granger B. Nalmefene and alcohol dependence: a new approach or the same old unacceptable marketing? Subst Abuse Rehabil. 2015;6:75–80. 3. Paille F, Martini H. Nalmefene: a new approach to the treatment of alcohol dependence [corrigendum]. Subst Abuse Rehabil. 2015;6:81–82. 4. Braillon A. Conflicts of interest and the future of medicine: the United States, France and Japan. J Public Health Policy. 2011;32:391–398.
1
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Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation 2016:7 1–2
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© 2016 Braillon and Granger. This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress. com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/). By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms (https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php).
http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/SAR.S100475
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Braillon and Granger
Dove Medical Press encourages responsible, free and frank academic debate. The content of the Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation ‘letters to the editor’ section does not necessarily represent the views of Dove Medical Press, its officers, agents, employees, related entities or the Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation editors. While all reasonable steps have been taken to confirm the content of each letter, Dove Medical Press accepts no liability in respect of the content of any letter, nor is it responsible for the content and accuracy of any letter to the editor.
Dovepress
Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation
Publish your work in this journal Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal publishing original research, case reports, editorials, reviews and commentaries on all areas of addiction and substance abuse and options for treatment and rehabilitation. The manuscript management system is completely online and includes a very quick and fair
peer-review system. Visit http://www.dovepress.com/testimonials.php to read real quotes from published authors.
Submit your manuscript here: http://www.dovepress.com/substance abuse-and-rehabilitation-journal
2
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Dovepress
Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation 2016:7
Dovepress open access to scientific and medical research
Letter
Open Access Full Text Article
Disclosure of conflicts of interest and credibility for the medical profession This article was published in the following Dove Press journal: Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation 30 December 2015 Number of times this article has been viewed
Alain Braillon 1,* Bernard Granger 2,* Alcohol Treatment Unit, Amiens University Hospital, Amiens, 2 Department of Psychiatry, Tarnier Hospital (AP-HP), Paris, France 1
*Both authors contributed equally to this work
Dear editor We were surprised by an unbalanced review about nalmefene for alcohol dependence, wherein the authors had stated no conflicts of interest (COIs).1 The Editor in Chief and the Publisher were very professional when we stressed our concerns, and they must be commended. They accepted publication of a critical free evaluation based upon evidence where we also called for full disclosure of COIs.2 The authors’ correction acknowledged several links (consultancies, honoraria, speaker fees, travel grants) for several pharmaceutical companies, including Lundbeck, which markets nalmefene.3 However, existing links with Grey Healthcare France were not provided. Grey Healthcare is “a full-service, global, integrated communications agency”, which claims “our market-leading campaigns generate brand engagement, grow sales …”, and has among its clients Lundbeck for nalmefene. Such links should have been disclosed according to the French Sunshine Act. Whatever the law could be, science integrity requires that all COIs, financial or otherwise, that could ever have affected a researcher’s judgment should be declared. They overcome our most basic medical commitment: to care for those who need it, and also constitute a crisis of credibility for the medical profession.4
Disclosure AB was coinvestigator for the clinical trial ALPADIR (baclofen). BG has no conflict of interest related to this communication.
References Correspondence: Alain Braillon Alcohol Treatment Unit, Amiens University Hospital, Amiens 80000, France Email [email protected]
1. Paille F, Martini H. Nalmefene: a new approach to the treatment of alcohol dependence. Subst Abuse Rehabil. 2014;5:87–94. 2. Braillon A, Granger B. Nalmefene and alcohol dependence: a new approach or the same old unacceptable marketing? Subst Abuse Rehabil. 2015;6:75–80. 3. Paille F, Martini H. Nalmefene: a new approach to the treatment of alcohol dependence [corrigendum]. Subst Abuse Rehabil. 2015;6:81–82. 4. Braillon A. Conflicts of interest and the future of medicine: the United States, France and Japan. J Public Health Policy. 2011;32:391–398.
1
submit your manuscript | www.dovepress.com
Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation 2016:7 1–2
Dovepress
© 2016 Braillon and Granger. This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress. com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/). By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms (https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php).
http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/SAR.S100475
Dovepress
Braillon and Granger
Dove Medical Press encourages responsible, free and frank academic debate. The content of the Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation ‘letters to the editor’ section does not necessarily represent the views of Dove Medical Press, its officers, agents, employees, related entities or the Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation editors. While all reasonable steps have been taken to confirm the content of each letter, Dove Medical Press accepts no liability in respect of the content of any letter, nor is it responsible for the content and accuracy of any letter to the editor.
Dovepress
Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation
Publish your work in this journal Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal publishing original research, case reports, editorials, reviews and commentaries on all areas of addiction and substance abuse and options for treatment and rehabilitation. The manuscript management system is completely online and includes a very quick and fair
peer-review system. Visit http://www.dovepress.com/testimonials.php to read real quotes from published authors.
Submit your manuscript here: http://www.dovepress.com/substance abuse-and-rehabilitation-journal
2
submit your manuscript | www.dovepress.com
Dovepress
Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation 2016:7
