Nobel Committe Under Drug Influence?

[George Jones]

Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca currently is the subject of a criminal investigation for possible influence in the awarding of the most recentl Nobel Prize in medicine.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/555701

 

[LowlyPion]

Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca currently is the subject of a criminal investigation for possible influence in the awarding of the most recentl Nobel Prize in medicine.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/555701

I don't know but that it looks a little slim. For something like the Nobel the appearance of impropriety is every bit as damaging as actual corruption. Recognizing that it is a complex world though, and there are lots of grant monies funding any number of academic efforts for all sorts of reasons from philanthropy to self interest, it's seemingly a daunting task to be sure that in such an interconnected world that all recusable associations are ferreted out before any damage is done.

Now taking junkets - if that's what it was - that could be another issue that I'd think they would already have rules about. And if they didn't they should. On the other hand an invitation to speak at a conference with an honorarium that covered expenses could as easily be seen as a junket. So I guess that we will have to see what investigation turns up, and hope that good sense would have prevailed. It would surely be disappointing to me if it turns out otherwise.

 

[mgb_phys]

Would it be worth the effort?
The customer isn't going to buy your aspirin/cold medicene over the other because you have a Nobel winner, the FDA aren't going to be persuaded to license the drug any easier. And if you just wanted bragging rights that MegaPharmaCorp had more Nobel winners than GigaDrugsLLC you just poach a few near-retirees from universites.