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10 Tips For
Spotting Industry Involvement In Science Policy
Author Provides
Measures To Prevent Industry Influence
In
an editorial accompanying the McCambridge article in Tobacco Control
about the Brussels Declaration (see related article in this issue),
the University of Sydney’s Lisa Bero discusses what has been
learned about industry influence on science. It happens.
She concludes that the analysis by McCambridge and his
colleagues “suggests that corporate interests shaped the Declaration
to enhance the ability of industry to influence evidence and policy.”
Bero offers ten tips for spotting industry involvement in science
policy and walking away. She proposes that “scientists should view
invitations to participate in initiatives aimed at improving research
standards or methods through the lens of these tips.
They are:
1. The initiative originates with a communications or
public relations firm.
2. The initiative claims to be a bottom up or
grassroots effort.
3. There is a lack of disclosure of funding for the
initiative of funding for the participants at the meeting.
4. The document illustrates a fundamental
misunderstanding of conflicts of interest.
5.
Statements that nonfinancial conflicts of interest are more
influential and harder to manage than financial conflicts of interest
are used to divert attention away from industry.
6. The initiative invokes the names of large numbers of
stakeholders and scientists including “thought leaders” and “carefully
selected influencers”.
7. Scientists involved may not know they are involved.
8. Phrases such as “More than xx individuals from YY
countries” support the position create a sense of false consensus when
the majority of participants are affiliated with industry.
9. The language of the document is critical of
scientists but not of industry.
10. The tobacco industry is one of the players.
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