Greatest Academic Scandal of Our Era - Dr Nancy Olivieri Sick Childrens Hospital

This took place in the late 1990's.  I hadn't heard of this case before.  What an admirable woman.  Wow!  But what a terrible scandal.  I wish she were free to write a book.

The Greatest Academic Scandal of Our Era

Dr. Olivieri is a clinical professor at the University of Toronto and the Hospital for Sick Children and a world expert on the blood disorders -- thalassimia and sickle cell disease. Her clinical research program in Toronto is the key link in an international chain of research centres focusing on these diseases.

In the course of her research on a new medication to treat thalassimia, Dr. Olivieri concluded that the new drug may have serious negative consequences for some patients. She felt obliged to publicize her findings but was threatened with a lawsuit by Apotex, Inc., a Canadian drug maker that had been funding her clinical trials. Dr. Olivieri had signed a confidentiality agreement with Apotex some years earlier.

Dr. Olivieri turned to the Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto for support in her quest to fulfil her medical and public responsibility to publicize her findings. She found no support. Nevertheless, she informed her Research Ethics Board, her patients and the federal regulatory bodies. She then published her findings in the New England Journal of Medicine. Subsequently, the Hospital stripped her of her responsibilities as director of its haemoglobinopathy program, and the University of Toronto refused to intervene with the Hospital or Apotex. During this period, the University was negotiating with Apotex for a multimillion-dollar donation to the University for a new medical building.

https://www.mcmaster.ca/mufa/turk.htm

Dr. Olivieri ouster called 'scandalous, dangerous'

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/dr-olivieri-ouster-called-scandalous-dangerous-1.174483

The Olivieri Case: Context and Significance

The dispute between Apotex and Dr. Olivieri erupted in 1996. ... Also around this time, the University of Toronto and Apotex were in negotiations over a major donation.  In 1998, when the Olivieri case became public, the University and Apotex had reached agreement in principle to what would then have been the largest donation ever received by the University -- $20 million for the university and an additional $10 million for affiliated hospitals.

http://meds.queensu.ca/medicine/histm/oilivieri/Ecclectia%20The%20Olivieri%20Case.htm

Someone even published a book, essentially criticizing and defaming her ... Dr. Miriam Shuchman, who happens to be a psychiatrist  .  Nasty stuff.

The Drug Trial: Nancy Olivieri and the Science Scandal that Rocked the Hospital for Sick Children

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC558633/

In the course of her research on a new medication to treat thalassimia, Dr. Olivieri concluded that the new drug may have serious negative consequences for some patients. She felt obliged to publicize her findings but was threatened with a lawsuit by Apotex, Inc., a Canadian drug maker that had been funding her clinical trials. Dr. Olivieri had signed a confidentiality agreement with Apotex some years earlier.

Thanks for the post. So sad but true. Greed trumps the value of a trained conscience knowing right from wrong. All at the expense of the lives of….well, anything living. It’s disgusting.

Dr. Olivieri clearly knew the right thing to do.....but found out what was important to others involved in this research project.