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Eastman, Richard C.
Director of the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, one of the National Institutes of Health.
In 1995, as NIH's top diabetes researcher, Eastman was sent by NIH to discuss the safety of the drug Rezulin with an executive of its manufacturer Warner-Lambert. Three weeks later, Eastman was hired by Warner-Lambert as a consultant. In 1996 Eastman signed a written pledge to disqualify himself on matters pertaining to Rezulin, but he continued to participate in decisions of the executive committee assigned to Rezulin, and in 1997 wrote a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, without disclosing that he was being paid by Warner-Lambert, stating that the risk of liver failure from Rezulin was "very minimal." In 2000, Rezulin was pulled from the U.S. market "after being cited as a suspect in 556 deaths, including 68 that involved liver failure" -- but by that time Warner-Lambert had received $2.1 billion in revenues from the drug. Eastman had received $43,000 from Warner-Lambert between 1995 and 1997. (1)
"At least 12 of the 22 academic researchers selected by the NIH to help conduct the nationwide [Rezulin] study received company fees or research grants... [including] the chairman of the study's data monitoring board, responsible for protecting patients from unnecessary risks..." (2)
In June 2000, Eastman accepted a position as medical director of the company Cygnus as it was in the process of receiving FDA approval for a diabetes monitoring device. (3)
In November 2000, Cygnus received two grants worth $200,000 from Eastman's old agency, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and in September 2001 received another $750,000 grant. (4)
Endnotes:
(1) Willman, David. Stealth Merger: Drug Companies and Government Medical Research. Los Angeles Times, Dec 7, 2003.
(2) Willman, David. Stealth Merger: Drug Companies and Government Medical Research. Los Angeles Times, Dec 7, 2003.
(3) Cygnus news release, June 7, 2000, http://www.cygn.com/press/000606-1-of-2.html
(4) Cygnus news releases, Nov 30, 2000, http://www.cygn.com/press/001130.html and Sept 21, 2001, http://www.cygn.com/press/010911.html
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