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Bennett CL, Olivieri N, Hoque S, Aboulafia D, Ventrone A, Lubaczewski C, Dong B, Schooley B, Witherspoon BJ, Ray PS, Hrushesky WJ, Restaino J, Thomsen HS, Mangano D, Mora-Mangano C, McKoy JM, Schoen M, Knopf K, Martin L, Rosen S. Davids versus Goliaths: Pharma and academia threats to individual scientists and clinicians. THE JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC PRACTICE AND INTEGRITY 2022. [DOI: 10.35122/001c.36564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background We previously described experiences of clinicians who published adverse drug reaction reports. We now report on threats and intimidations leveled against clinicians and scientists who received publicly documented threats after communicating safety, efficacy, or data integrity findings contrary to corporate interests. Methods Data on threats and intimidations were obtained from transcripts of governmental hearings or agencies, university-affiliated reports, media interviews, and investigative journalism articles. Content and timing of threats and intimidation, subsequent harms, numbers of persons seriously injured or who died from individual toxicities, financial payments from sponsors related to safety, efficacy, or data integrity concerns, and civil settlements and criminal findings were evaluated. Findings Twenty-six individuals who communicated safety, efficacy, or data integrity concerns were targets of threats and intimidation from corporate employees (twenty-three individuals) or regulatory personnel (three). Seventeen individuals identified instances where pharmaceutical sponsors submitted fraudulent data in support of regulatory approval of a drug or device. Scientist and clinician communications were followed by drug/device withdrawals (fourteen drugs/devices), black box warnings (six drugs), withdrawal of a sponsor’s application for regulatory approval (one device), and delay of approval of a sponsor’s application for regulatory approval (one drug). Actions mainly occurred after persons communicated with pharmaceutical employees (fourteen). Intimidation efforts by corporate personnel included threats of lawsuits (eighteen individuals), hiring private investigators (nine), and public disparagement at conferences (eleven). Related intimidation efforts carried out by academia or regulatory agency superiors included threats of: loss of positions (six), loss of grant funding (two), delays in decisions regarding tenure (two); or reassignment to a low-level position (one). Academic harms included lost: hospital or university appointments (nine and six, respectively), grant funding (two), chairperson title of an international clinical trial group (one), and journal editorial board position (one). Corporate harms included payment of $1 million to defense attorneys in three cases filed against clinicians. Interpretation Threats and intimidation carried out by corporate employees and/or academic supervisors followed public communication of concerns regarding patient safety, drug efficacy, or data integrity, including instances where sponsors were identified as having submitted fraudulent data to regulatory or government agencies. Consideration should be given to filing criminal charges against pharmaceutical executives who are discovered by scientists or clinicians to have knowingly submitted fraudulent data to regulatory or governmental agencies, rather than causing the scientists and clinicians who submit such reports to risk losing their reputations and occupations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles L. Bennett
- The City of Hope National Cancer Institute Designated Comprehensive Center, Duarte, California; The SONAR project of the University of South Carolina, College of Pharmacy
| | | | - Shamia Hoque
- The SONAR project of the University of South Carolina
| | | | - Anne Ventrone
- The SONAR project of the University of South Carolina
| | | | - Betty Dong
- The University of California at San Francisco
| | | | | | - Paul S. Ray
- The SONAR project of the University of South Carolina
| | | | - John Restaino
- The SONAR project of the University of South Carolina
| | | | | | | | | | - Martin Schoen
- Saint Louis University; Washington University, School of Medicine
| | - Kevin Knopf
- The SONAR project of the University of South Carolina
| | - Linda Martin
- The SONAR project of the University of South Carolina
| | - Steven Rosen
- The City of Hope National Cancer Institute Designated Comprehensive Center, Duarte, California; The SONAR project of the University of South Carolina, College of Pharmacy
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Lubaczewski CR, Olivieri NF, Hrushesky WR, Bennett CL. Consequences to Patients, Clinicians, and Manufacturers When Very Serious Adverse Drug Reactions Are Identified (1997-2019): A Qualitative Analysis from the Southern Network on Adverse Reactions (SONAR). Cancer Treat Res 2022; 184:141-149. [PMID: 36449194 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-04402-1_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Adverse drug/device reactions (ADRs) serious enough to lead to box warnings on drug labels or drug withdrawals occur in about one fifth of all new molecular entities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney R Lubaczewski
- SONAR (Southern Network on Adverse Reactions) Program, University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Nancy F Olivieri
- SONAR (Southern Network on Adverse Reactions) Program, University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - William R Hrushesky
- SONAR (Southern Network on Adverse Reactions) Program, University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Charles L Bennett
- SONAR (Southern Network on Adverse Reactions) Program, University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.
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Bennett CL, Hoque S, Olivieri N, Taylor MA, Aboulafia D, Lubaczewski C, Bennett AC, Vemula J, Schooley B, Witherspoon BJ, Godwin AC, Ray PS, Yarnold PR, Ausdenmoore HC, Fishman M, Herring G, Ventrone A, Aldaco J, Hrushesky WJ, Restaino J, Thomsen HS, Yarnold PR, Marx R, Migliorati C, Ruggiero S, Nabhan C, Carson KR, McKoy JM, Yang YT, Schoen MW, Knopf K, Martin L, Sartor O, Rosen S, Smith WK. Consequences to patients, clinicians, and manufacturers when very serious adverse drug reactions are identified (1997-2019): A qualitative analysis from the Southern Network on Adverse Reactions (SONAR). EClinicalMedicine 2021; 31:100693. [PMID: 33554084 PMCID: PMC7846671 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2020.100693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adverse drug/device reactions (ADRs) can result in severe patient harm. We define very serious ADRs as being associated with severe toxicity, as measured on the Common Toxicity Criteria Adverse Events (CTCAE)) scale, following use of drugs or devices with large sales, large financial settlements, and large numbers of injured persons. We report on impacts on patients, clinicians, and manufacturers following very serious ADR reporting. METHODS We reviewed clinician identified very serious ADRs published between 1997 and 2019. Drugs and devices associated with reports of very serious ADRs were identified. Included drugs or devices had market removal discussed at Food and Drug Advisory (FDA) Advisory Committee meetings, were published by clinicians, had sales > $1 billion, were associated with CTCAE Grade 4 or 5 toxicity effects, and had either >$1 billion in settlements or >1,000 injured patients. Data sources included journals, Congressional transcripts, and news reports. We reviewed data on: 1) timing of ADR reports, Boxed warnings, and product withdrawals, and 2) patient, clinician, and manufacturer impacts. Binomial analysis was used to compare sales pre- and post-FDA Advisory Committee meetings. FINDINGS Twenty very serious ADRs involved fifteen drugs and one device. Legal settlements totaled $38.4 billion for 753,900 injured persons. Eleven of 18 clinicians (61%) reported harms, including verbal threats from manufacturer (five) and loss of a faculty position (one). Annual sales decreased 94% from $29.1 billion pre-FDA meeting to $4.9 billion afterwards (p<0.0018). Manufacturers of four drugs paid $1.7 billion total in criminal fines for failing to inform the FDA and physicians about very serious ADRs. Following FDA approval, the median time to ADR reporting was 7.5 years (Interquartile range 3,13 years). Twelve drugs received Box warnings and one drug received a warning (median, 7.5 years following ADR reporting (IQR 5,11 years). Six drugs and 1 device were withdrawn from marketing (median, 5 years after ADR reporting (IQR 4,6 years)). INTERPRETATION Because very serious ADRs impacts are so large, policy makers should consider developing independently funded pharmacovigilance centers of excellence to assist with clinician investigations. FUNDING This work received support from the National Cancer Institute (1R01 CA102713 (CLB), https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/what-we-do/nih-almanac/national-cancer-institute-nci; and two Pilot Project grants from the American Cancer Society's Institutional Grant Award to the University of South Carolina (IRG-13-043-01) https://www.cancer.org/ (SH; BS).
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles L. Bennett
- City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California, United States
- University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
- The SONAR Project of University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
| | - Shamia Hoque
- University of South Carolina College of Engineering and Computing in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
| | | | - Matthew A. Taylor
- University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
| | - David Aboulafia
- Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - Courtney Lubaczewski
- University of South Carolina College of Arts and Sciences in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
| | - Andrew C. Bennett
- The SONAR Project of University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
| | - Jay Vemula
- University of South Carolina College of Arts and Sciences in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
| | - Benjamin Schooley
- University of South Carolina College of Engineering and Computing in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
| | - Bartlett J. Witherspoon
- The SONAR Project of University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
| | - Ashley C Godwin
- University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
- The SONAR Project of University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
| | - Paul S. Ray
- The SONAR Project of University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
| | - Paul R. Yarnold
- The SONAR Project of University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
| | - Henry C. Ausdenmoore
- City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California, United States
- University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
- University of South Carolina College of Engineering and Computing in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
- University of South Carolina College of Arts and Sciences in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
- University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Miami, Florida, United States
- Uniformed Services University F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland, United States
- Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Rush University School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Saint Louis University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Missouri, United States
- University of Copenhagen in Copenhagen, Denmark
- Caris Life Sciences in Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Highland Hospital in Oakland, California, United States
- Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, United States
- New York Center for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in New Hyde Park, New York, United States
- University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, United States
| | - Marc Fishman
- The SONAR Project of University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
| | - Georgne Herring
- University of South Carolina College of Arts and Sciences in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
| | - Anne Ventrone
- University of South Carolina College of Arts and Sciences in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
| | - Juan Aldaco
- City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California, United States
| | - William J. Hrushesky
- The SONAR Project of University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
| | - John Restaino
- University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
- The SONAR Project of University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
| | | | - Paul R. Yarnold
- The SONAR Project of University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
| | - Robert Marx
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Miami, Florida, United States
| | | | - Salvatore Ruggiero
- New York Center for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in New Hyde Park, New York, United States
| | - Chadi Nabhan
- The SONAR Project of University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
- Caris Life Sciences in Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Kenneth R. Carson
- Rush University School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - June M. McKoy
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Y. Tony Yang
- George Washington University School of Nursing and Milken Institute School of Public Health in Washington, District of Columbia, United States
| | - Martin W. Schoen
- Saint Louis University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Missouri, United States
| | - Kevin Knopf
- The SONAR Project of University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
- Highland Hospital in Oakland, California, United States
| | - Linda Martin
- The SONAR Project of University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
| | - Oliver Sartor
- Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
| | - Steven Rosen
- City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California, United States
| | - William K. Smith
- Uniformed Services University F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland, United States
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Crestan D, Trojniak MP, Francescon S, Fornasier G, Baldo P. Pharmacovigilance of anti-cancer medicines: opportunities and challenges. Expert Opin Drug Saf 2020; 19:849-860. [PMID: 32552095 DOI: 10.1080/14740338.2020.1772751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The foundations of pharmacovigilance are the monitoring of drug safety in real-world medicine, and identification of new adverse effects, unknown at the time of market approval. Cancer patients are prone to adverse drug reactions due to the complexity of the neoplastic disease and its treatment. Pharmacovigilance of anti-cancer medicines is further complicated because patients have comorbidities, as for elderly patients. It is even more challenging when complete safety and risk data for a drug are lacking, as may occur for new molecules or when it comes to drugs for children. AREAS COVERED This article introduces the field of pharmacovigilance of anti-cancer drugs, describing the various layers of complexity that make the recognition of adverse drug events in oncology particularly problematic, including the type of medicines, the phenomenon of underreporting and polypharmacy. Finally, it reviews new digital tools to help pharmacovigilance activities in oncology. EXPERT OPINION The authors outline some crucial challenges and opportunities that can be useful for pharmacovigilance to keep up with the times and follow the current technological and scientific progress. In addition to the evaluations made by researchers, it will, of course, be necessary to have an equality important concrete response from the institutions and regulatory bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Crestan
- Pharmacy Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS , Aviano, Italy
| | - Marta Paulina Trojniak
- Hospital Pharmacy Unit, Institute for Maternal and Child Health "IRCCS Burlo Garofolo" , Trieste, Italy
| | - Sara Francescon
- Pharmacy Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS , Aviano, Italy.,Department of Hospital Pharmacy, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale, ASUFC , Udine, Italy
| | - Giulia Fornasier
- Hospital Pharmacy Unit, Institute for Maternal and Child Health "IRCCS Burlo Garofolo" , Trieste, Italy
| | - Paolo Baldo
- Pharmacy Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS , Aviano, Italy
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Bennett AC, Bennett CL, Witherspoon BJ. Response to: letter to the editor: consideration on 'an evaluation of reports of ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin association neuropsychiatric toxicities, long-term disability, and aortic aneurysms/dissections disseminated by the food and drug administration and the European medicines agency' by bennett et al. Expert Opin Drug Saf 2020; 19:1057-1058. [PMID: 32364807 DOI: 10.1080/14740338.2020.1763691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pulmonary fibrosis includes several lung disorders characterized by progressive fibrosis, of which idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a particularly severe form with a median survival time of 3-5 years after diagnosis. Although numerous compounds have shown efficacy in attenuating pulmonary fibrosis using animal models, only a few compounds have shown their beneficial effects for IPF in clinical trials. Thus, there is an ongoing need to improve the preclinical development process to better identify, characterize and select clinically useful targets. AREAS COVERED In this review, we extensively describe current models of pulmonary fibrosis, focusing on rodent models, ex vivo models, and in vitro models. EXPERT OPINION Based upon our current understanding, improving the identification and characterization of clinically relevant molecules or pathways responsible for progressive fibrotic diseases and use of the robust preclinical model system to test these will be required to improve the drug development pipeline for pulmonary fibrosis. Combination of appropriate preclinical models with ex vivo (precision-cut lung slices) or in vitro models will benefit high-throughput drug discovery and validation of drug effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Bennett
- SmartState Center for Medication Safety and Efficacy, University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy , Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Charles L Bennett
- SmartState Center for Medication Safety and Efficacy, University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy , Columbia, SC, USA.,University of South Carolina , Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Bartlett J Witherspoon
- SmartState Center for Medication Safety and Efficacy, University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy , Columbia, SC, USA.,University of South Carolina , Columbia, SC, USA
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