The Washington Post documents how three senior scientists at a medical journal (world's largest and oldest renal care journal) approved an editorial that took a strong unfavorable position regarding prescribing an expensive drug for kidney dialysis patients. Then the journal's marketing department, not the scientists, pulled the editorial so they would not lose any advertising money from the drug company. You should be very concerned about the pervasive influence of the pharmaceutical companies on the way science is done and on the academic medical community. Most journals are absolutely dependent on advertising from drug companies, and they are not going to offend them. The Post also did an article on this three years ago documenting similar abuses in this industry and how they attempted to prevent it. But, as this article shows, it is still occurring.

Washington Post February 7, 2004 Page A02