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Fake Banner
Merck Publishes Fake Peer-Reviewed Journal
By Stephanie Pulford | May 5th 2009 02:01 PM | 6 comments | Print | E-mail | Track Comments
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About Stephanie Pulford

As engineering grad student at UCDavis, I am interested in the common ground between biology and machinery. Incidentally, my column's title refers to the way bacteria navigate-- first they "run"... Full Bio

According to The Scientist,  Merck paid Elsevier to publish Merck's own "peer-reviewed" fan-zine, Australasian Journal of Bone and Joint Medicine, in 2003.  Its articles don't show up in major medical research paper search engines, and the "Honorary Advisory Board" did not receive a single paper to "review". 

The journal didn't disclose its funding source anywhere within the publication.  Bioethics.net blasts this fraudulent journal on the grounds that its Merck-friendly findings could be given to primary-care physicians, and falsely persuade them in favor of using the drug.

Apparently, it's already happened-- and in a big way.  Remember Vioxx? The one that was recalled due to ion channel complications?  The Australasian Journal of Bone and Joint Medicine was implicated in an Australian civil suit regarding a heart attack caused by Vioxx.

piercelaw.edu

 




Comments

adaptivecomplexity's picture
Wow, that's both pathetic and dishonest. This is classic cargo cult science: you put on all of the trappings of science, but leave out the actual science.

Michael White | 05/05/09 | 14:47 PM
Fossil Huntress's picture
Greed literally kills. I'm sure the people putting out the journal did not have that intent, but misleading healthcare professionals directly or indirectly can have dire effects. We are doing better in Canada and the USA with transparency - or at least working towards it in access to information and disclosure. As Michael says, in science is suppose to be key.  It is amazing how far off track greed can push people.

p.s. Stephanie... I confess, as a runner I loved Vioxx and still favour the all-powerful NSAIDs. Coffee, Celebrex and a nice long run makes for a perfect morning.

Heidi Henderson | 05/05/09 | 14:58 PM
Stephanie Pulford's picture
I agree with you on at least two of those perfect morning criteria.  :)

But on that note, I'd love to know why Merck did so much to spuriously bolster Vioxx. In addition to this "journal", there were apparently a number of fake efficacy studies, too.    Neither the journal nor the studies seem to have much to do with the ion channel complications that got Vioxx pulled.  Vioxx was pretty effective and a huge seller-- how much could Merck's autobiographical fan-fiction really do to help an already-promising product?

Stephanie Pulford | 05/05/09 | 15:54 PM
Hank's picture
Yet if there is skepticism that Merck might not actually have the best interests of society and women at heart regarding Gardasil, people are lumped in with anti-vaccination kooks.    The huge marketing blitz and scare-mongering for Gardasil followed on the heels of that multi-billion Vioxx settlement.

Hank Campbell | 05/05/09 | 16:00 PM
Gerhard Adam's picture
I think it might be relevant to remember that there is no such thing as too much exposure to the marketing division.

I wonder how much of this journal and the studies were contrived by marketing types rather than scientific types.

Gerhard Adam | 05/05/09 | 16:17 PM
Becky Jungbauer's picture
Yikes. I think Mike said it best.

Becky Jungbauer | 05/05/09 | 21:04 PM

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