17 January 2013, 03:07 PM IST
On the face of it, the way the Indian Academy of Pediatrics claims that there can be no conflict of interest in its close association with the vaccine industry seems quite inexplicable. After all, almost all its activities seem to be industry funded, activities worth Rs 2.87 crore.
The IAP, or at least most people in the IAP, however, seem convinced that accepting support/funding from the industry would not influence them in any way. In that, they must indeed be super human since research from all over the world has shown that taking gifts does make people favourably inclined towards the giver and influences their decisions.
Not everyone in IAP is unaware of the pitfalls of industry funding. An editorial in the September 2012 issue of the academy's journal, Indian Pediatrics, reveals how the vaccine manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur was distributing printout and wall charts that had altered/misrepresented the Indian Academy of Pediatrics' Immunization timetable 2012 by displaying Influenza vaccine as a routine childhood vaccine recommended by IAP at 6 and 7 months of age. The IAPCOI recommends this vaccine only for identified high-risk groups. "This covert attempt to promote their product by misrepresentation/ distortion of facts is a serious ethical misadventure that should be viewed as nothing less than "felony"," stated the editorial. Though Sanofi Pasteur apologised for the "inadvertent error" and recalled all the material, the editorial seemed sceptical of the so-called error pointing out the global phenomenon of misrepresentation of research by the drug industry for their benefit.
"Pharmaceutical companies do need support of academic bodies for their existence, but does the academia need them for survival?, questioned the editorial written by Dr Piyush Gupta, Editor-in-Chief of Indian Pediatrics and Dr Vipin Vashishtha who is convenor of the IAP Committee on Immunisation. They warn against over dependence on the industry to run the affairs of the academy which would "continue to encourage the industry to repeat these misdemeanors in future" and hamper the academy's ability to deal with them effectively.
"We should not forget that they are here to market their products and not for partnering us to support our philanthropic agenda," stated the editorial adding that "practitioners need to take charge of updating their knowledge themselves. The information fed by the pharmaceutical industry needs to be seen, smelled, tasted and scrutinised for its content; before digesting it finally."
Quite obviously, at least some people in IAP are under no illusion about the consequence of having extensive ties with the industry. Yet, a look at the IAP accounts for the year 2012 reveals heavy dependence on the industry for support. Is this an example of double speak or a case of the cautionary voice of some quarters being ignored by the main body of IAP?
Here is an account of the funding of IAP's activities by companies (2011-12):
IAPCOI (committee on immunisation) funds from various vaccine companies - Rs 26.7 lakh
Ask IAP programme supported by Merck Sharpe & Dohme (MSD) - Rs 16.8 lakh
Advancing Science of Vaccinology (ASOV) programme supported by Wyeth - Rs 7.5 lakh
Neonatal Resuscitation Programme (NRP) supported by Johnson and Johnson (J&J)- Rs 98 lakh
Comprehensive Diarrhoea Management Programme (CDMP) supported by MSD- Rs 27 lakh
Asthma Training Module (ATM) programme supported by MSD - Rs 20.58 lakh
Allergic Rhinitis and Co-morbidities Training Module (ARCTM) programme supported by MSD- Rs 20.58 lakh
Problem Solving in Pediatric Infectious Diseases (PSPID) programme supported by Zuventus- Rs 10 lakh
Paediatric Sleep Programme (PSP) supported by J&J- Rs 15 lakh
Office Preparedness for Pediatric Emergencies supported by Micro Labs- Rs 41.32 lakh
PG Training module 2012 supported by J&J- Rs 3.92 lakh
Total of all these programmes- Rs 2.87 crore.
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