The journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics has published a paper which deals with the issue of intellectual freedom in medical research. Authored by journal editor Giovanni A. Fava, the paper is available in the current issue of the journal.
The paper notes that the drug industry has full control of many scientific societies, journals and clinical practice guidelines. Members of special interest groups act as editors, reviewers and consultants to medical journals, scientific meetings and non-profit research organisations, with the task of systematically preventing the dissemination of data which may be in conflict with their interest. It further states that censorship may be the result of direct prevention of publication and dissemination of findings by the pharmaceutical company itself.
Another subtle form of censorship is by counteracting published information with massive doses of propaganda. Filtering information (selective perception), engineering opinions, using the public relations industry and marginalising dissident cultures are the well-known modalities of action. Yet, according to Fava, it is deliberate self-censorship which may yield the most dangerous effects. One way to address the problem has to do with the value that is represented by investigators who opted for not having any substantial conflicts of interest. The paper provides several suggestions for preserving intellectual freedom in medicine, based on research evidence which is available.
