Allen Frances, editor of DSM-IV, developed Risperdal guidelines ‘in disregard of… conflict of interest’
08/03/2015
Dr Allen Frances
Dr Paula Caplan, associate of the DuBois Research Institute at Harvard University, has written an article exposing historical ties between Dr Allen Frances, lead editor of DSM-IV, and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary and the makers of Risperdal, a second generation antipsychotic.
Caplan cites a 2010 court document written by Dr David J Rothman, a Columbia University Ethics specialist, in connection with a Medicaid fraud case. In the document, Rothman reveals details of Frances’ work for Janssen Pharmaceuticals, including a payment of more than $500k to Frances and two colleagues for the development of guidelines which promoted the use of Risperdal.
Rothman states that the guidelines were constructed “in disregard of professional medical ethics and principles of conflict of interest,” and that they “subverted scientific integrity, appearing to be a purely scientific venture when it was at its core, a marketing venture for Risperdal.”
The full article, published by Aporia, can be viewed here.