Investigation Sought Into Campaign Against Drug Whistleblower

by Bob Burton — July 21, 2006 - 5:20am

Iowa Republican Senator Charles Grassley has written to the inspector general at the Department of Health and Human Services seeking an investigation into whether the Food and Drug Administration and Merck collaborated to try and discredit a whistleblower. Dr. David J. Graham, a FDA drug safety official, publicized the risks associated with Merck's painkiller, Vioxx. In his letter, Grassley cited notes by a Merck employee of a conversation with an FDA official who mentioned an "opportunity to get (the) message out" on Graham and distribute the company's critique of him to journalists. In a statement to Associated Press, Merck wrote that it has "right to express our views when we believe information others have presented is not fair and balanced." In a deposition in a class action case against Merck, Graham stated the material obtained under discovery "actually demonstrates more clearly just how widespread the organized campaign to discredit and smear me was."

Main Source:

Newsday, July 19, 2006

Comments

Fascism

Submitted by Pani113 on July 21, 2006 - 9:15am.

It seems this is a more dangerous time than ever to have a conscience. I am also furious that republican Wisconsin lawmakers are demanding the resignation of some adjunct that believes 911 was
an inside job. While I personally have not seen enough evidence to
believe this (although NOTHING would surprise me anymore either), I don't think that is the point. He was only presenting it as an alternate theory. It is so wrong that academic freedom should be
compromised by such blatant partisanship. (And I will boycott Wisc
products if he does get fired!) I feel for the above person too. There should be more support for those brave but foolish souls to think that anything but greed matters to the powers that be running this country; that anything but complaisancy dominates those who let them rule.