The public interest and the private interest aren't always the same thing," said Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), as Congress prepares to investigate "possible conflicts of interest involving medical research firms such as the Constella Group." The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) "hired Constella to prepare its official listing of carcinogens, which included the human papilloma virus," while Constella "was also doing work for two drug manufacturers that were developing a vaccine for the virus," reported the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. In addition, the federal government has paid Constella "to monitor the use of vaccines throughout the country" since 2000, even though Constella "has worked for numerous drug and vaccine manufacturers, including Merck." An NIH spokesperson said the agency is "concerned about the potential for conflicts of interest," and is "currently reviewing our policies and procedures." Former Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, who chairs Constella's advisory board, would not comment. A Constella spokesperson said, "We are not concerned should a (Congressional) hearing be held because we act ethically."

Panel will investigate research firms' ethics
Conflicts of interest exist, presidential candidate says
By SUSANNE RUST and CARY SPIVAK
srust@journalsentinel.com
Posted: May 5, 2007
A congressional subcommittee will investigate possible conflicts of interest involving medical research firms such as the Constella Group, U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich said Friday.

The Ohio Democrat said Constella, a North Carolina firm with ties to former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy G. Thompson, has a conflict because it has worked for both federal regulators and companies that are regulated. Thompson, the former secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services who chairs Constella's advisory board, declined to comment

In a statement, Constella spokeswoman Sue Ann Pentecost said, "We are not concerned should a hearing be held because we act ethically and do not have a conflict of interest."

Kucinich, who, like Thompson, is running for president, was critical of the failure by the National Institutes of Health and other government agencies to require vendors to reveal potential conflicts.

"When you have NIEHS not requiring conflict of interest disclosures, it opens the door for abuses," Kucinich said, referring to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The investigation will be conducted by the subcommittee on domestic policy, which he chairs.

U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), who, like Kucinich, has been critical of the National Institutes of Health, echoed his colleague.

"If agencies are going to turn over important scientific tasks to private contractors, they need strong conflict of interest policies to ensure that scientific integrity is preserved," Waxman said in a statement.

Kucinich called for more openness in the process.

"If you have transparency, then many people will say, 'Hey, what's going on?' " Kucinich said. "When you don't have transparency, these are the kind of practices that can go on and they can have an impact on public policy."

The Journal Sentinel on Sunday reported that the federal health institute hired Constella to prepare its official listing of carcinogens, which included the human papilloma virus. At the time, Constella was also doing work for two drug manufacturers that were developing a vaccine for the virus.

Pentecost said Friday that the federal government first said the virus should be considered for inclusion on the list, and that federal officials did the literature review regarding the virus.

Since 2000, Constella has also had the contract to monitor the use of vaccines throughout the country, even though it has worked for numerous drug and vaccine manufacturers, including Merck & Co.

"We don't have objective public health scientists looking out for the public," said Richard Wiles, executive director of the Environmental Working Group, a watchdog organization based in Washington, D.C. "We don't want Merck running the vaccination program or industry running the clean air program."

The group this year exposed a conflict involving Sciences International, a Virginia company that was charged with evaluating the dangers of bisphenol-A, a common ingredient in clear plastics. At the same time, the company represented firms that make the additive, including Dow Chemical and 3M.

NIH spokesman Joseph Balintfy said agency officials are cooperating with Congress.

"We are concerned about the potential for conflicts of interest involving NIH contracts and are currently reviewing our policies and procedures to determine if changes are necessary," Balintfy said in a statement.

Kucinich said that even when there is no conflict, the government's growing reliance on outside contractors is putting public health in jeopardy.

"The public interest and the private interest aren't always the same thing," Kucinich said. "The public interest often has nothing to do with the private interest."

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