media releases

“The report in today’s British Medical Journal suggesting that a pharmaceutical company can get a university to discourage its academics from commenting adversely on one of their products is very concerning,” said Dr Tim Woodruff, President, Doctors Reform Society.

“The company, CSL, is said to have complained to the University of Queensland about a senior lecturer’s comments on radio regarding the marketing of Gardasil, the new purported cervical cancer vaccine”, said Dr Woodruff.

“The lecturer, Dr Andrew Gunn, received a letter from the Secretary and Registrar of the University of Queensland saying it was highly likely he had misled listeners into thinking his comments were officially endorsed by the University, and that an apology to CSL was required, amounted to harassment”, said Dr Woodruff.

“The call for an apology appears to stem from the University of Queensland’s commercial relationship with CSL, said to be at least several million dollars annually, and it seems to ignore the University’s own policies on academic freedom” said Dr Woodruff.

“The suggestion that identification of one’s academic position would lead people to believe that the comments are endorsed by an institution as large and diverse as a university is laughable at best,” said Dr Woodruff. “Different views on economics, law, climate change, and almost everything else are frequently expressed in the media by academics with no suggestion that the views are endorsed by their university, The only difference in this case would appear to be the determination by the university to override its own principles of academic freedom in the face of commercial concerns.”

“The pharmaceutical industry already heavily promotes its drugs to doctors and the community through many channels including so called “educational events”,” said Dr Woodruff, “But if an institute of learning’s need for cash from the private sector influences its independence and its promotion and encouragement of open debate, it is a sign of the level to which the profession and our institutes of science have fallen. Should we be surprised given that the average budget of the Pharmaceutical companies is now more than that of many small countries?”

Dr Andrew Gunn is also National Treasurer of the Doctors Reform Society of Australia

Dr Tim Woodruff
President
Doctors Reform Society

Dr Con Costa
Vice President
Doctors Reform Society

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