Find out if your doctor is getting paid:

OpenPaymentsData.CMS.gov

Dollars for Docs

Corporate funding of scientists:

Scientists stating that breast implants are safe are often times sponsored by the manufacturers. Always check the authors of scientific articles and any ties they may have with the industry or other conflicts of interest.

Recent conflicts of interest in published research:

1. Ten-Year Results From the Natrelle 410 Anatomical Form-Stable Silicone Breast Implant Core Study (2015). Link.

  • This 10-year prospective trial demonstrated the long-term safety and effectiveness of Natrelle 410 anatomical form-stable implants. The complication rates were low and the satisfaction rates were high.

In the Disclosures it states how all four authors of the study have financial conflicts of interests: “Dr Maxwell is an Allergan, Inc. consultant, royalty recipient, and stockholder. Drs Bengtson and Van Natta are consultants for Allergan, Inc. and received research support for conducting this study. Ms Murphy is an Allergan, Inc. employee and stockholder.”

The corresponding author of that study, Dr. George Patrick Maxwell, receives significant financial compensation from Allergan. In 2015, the same year that article was published, from Allergan he received:

  • $4.6 million from Allergan for royalty or license payments
  • ~$35k for consulting, speaker, travel, and other fees
  • $13,709 for associated research

In 2014, from Allergan he received:

  • $4.6 million from Allergan in royalty or license payments
  • ~$23k for consulting, speaker, travel, and other fees
  • $52,709 for associated research

In 2013, from Allergan he received:

  • ~$2.2 million from Allergan for royalty or license payments
  • ~$27k for consulting, speaker, travel, and other fees
  • $34,740 for associated research

Source: openpayments.data.cms.gov

Another author of that study, Dr. Bradley P. Bengtson, also receives significant financial compensation from Allergan. In 2015, the same year that article was published, from Allergan he received:

  • $116,476 for consulting, speaking, travel, and other fees
  • $237,114 for research
  • $2,734 for associated research

In 2014, from Allergan he received:

  • $225,229 for consulting, speaking, travel, and other fees
  • $606,846 for research
  • $2.960 for associated research

In 2013, from Allergan he received:

  • $340,343 for consulting, speaking, travel, and other fees
  • $135,050 for research
  • $3,077 for associated research

Source: openpayments.data.cms.gov

___

Older research studies with conflicts of interest:

“The Center for Science in the Public Interest’s Integrity in Science (ISS) Project investigated, exposed, and sought to reduce corporate influence on science and science-based public policy. Among other activities, CSPI developed a database of corporate funding of scientists and physicians.  The last entries were made in 2009.  You can do your own conflict of interest research in the database of over 4,000 scientists. The database is not comprehensive and does not imply that anyone acted improperly or that the results of industry-funded activities are invalid. Likewise, not being listed in the database should not be interpreted as the absence of corporate ties. The last entries in the database were made in 2009.”

In the Integrity of Science Database, some scientists that published scientific articles in favor of breast implants where found to have financial ties to the manufacturers.

1. Risk of connective tissue disease and related disorders among women with breast implants: a nation-wide retrospective cohort study in Sweden (1998). Link.

  • This article found “no evidence of association between breast implants and connective tissue disease.”

2. Breast implants and risk of neurologic disease (1998). Link.

  • Our results provide no support for the conjecture that breast implants cause neurologic disease.

3. Silicone breast implants and rheumatic disease. Clinical, immunologic, and epidemiologic studies (1994). Link.

  • No association between silicone breast implants and CTD or a unique arthralgia/myalgia/fibromyalgia syndrome. … any possible association should be considered speculative.

4. Silicone Breast Implants and the Risk of Connective-Tissue Diseases and Symptoms (1995). Link.

  • We found no association between breast implants and previously reported signs and symptoms.

Some authors that have contributed these studies appeared in the Integrity of Science database:

– One of the authors, J. K. McLaughlin, is found to be president of a for-profit International Epidemiology Institute, which has received funding from two of the hotly contested breast implant manufacturers of the 90’s.

President of the for-profit International Epidemiology Institute, which has received funding from the Dow Corning Corp. and 3M Company. (Annals of Plastic Surgery. 2007 November; 59:569-580.)

– William J. Blot served as the Chief Executive Officer of the for-profit International Epidemiology Institute.

– John D. Boice, Jr. served as the Scientific Director of the for-profit International Epidemiology Institute.

– Hans-Olov Adami has been found in the past to have been hired to conduct research and supported the industry he was hired by. He is referenced in the article “Secret Ties to Industry and Conflicting Interests in Cancer Research,” Am J Ind Med. 50:227-233 [2007].

“A number of research projects have taken place at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm with participation of Boice and McLaughlin, with a funding model through IEI. One of the studies was published in British Medical Journal with Adami as a co-author. A cohort of Swedish women with breast implants was studied with regard to connective tissue disorder. No risk was found.

Thanks to strict rules of stating conflicts of interest in the British Medical Journal it can be seen that the project was initiated by IEI, and that the funding from IEI was on behalf of Dow Corning, producer to silicone breast implants.” – Secret Ties to Industry and Conflicting Interests in Cancer Research published in the American Journal of Industrial Science (2006).

– Peter H. Schur was a paid consultant to lawyers representing Dow Corning on breast implants.

– John S. Sergent was a paid consultant and expert witness for breast implant manufacturers: Baxter Healthcare, Dow Corning, 3M, and Bristol-Myer Squibb.

– Matthew H. Liang (of Harvard) and Graham A. Colditz admitted under threat of perjury that they were paid consultants of breast implant manufacturers. They received significant financial interest from the manufacturers. Link.

___

These are a few examples of many, where corporate interests create partiality and conflict of interest in studies that consequently have implications on public health policy.

Unbiased scientists have also noticed this trend and shared their opinion.

Reports by regulatory agencies should be scientifically accurate, with no partiality to industry. … Greater importance should be placed on studies in which authors have no financial conflicts of interest. – Dr. Maharaj

Complete, accurate, unbiased science can be found in the Scientific Articles page.