Now that all the legitimate scientists have left the state of Texas’ Cancer Prevention and Research Institute, the state can breathe a sigh of relief. Three billion dollars for funding distribution is a lot of money, and the cronies and profiteers will be able to get at it much more easily. All the powerful people who care more about peer review than money have left in disgust.
Gilman’s resignation [he was chief scientist] followed a decision by the institute’s oversight committee to set aside scientific grant proposals and rush approval of an $18 million commercialization grant led by the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Ah, M.D. Anderson, domain of fuck-conflict-of-interest Ronald Pinho!
October 17th, 2012 at 3:55AM
Does anyone know: is legitimate medical research strictly a big money game? I seem to recall there’s a history of big medical breakthroughs made by folks with small budgets. Careful observation, bold hypotheses, sheer good fortune, etc. (Anaesthesia? Penicillin? The helicobacter guy in Australia?)
FWIW-I recall reading that one drug company’s research department consisted of attorneys scouring patent records for me-too pharmaceuticals that could be rushed to market to capture those insurance dollars.