Last week the NIH froze a $9.3 million five year research grant to Emory University in response to the investigation by the Senate Finance Committee on Conflicts of Interests. The investigation involved Emory Psychiatry professor Charles Nemeroff, MD, who also announced last week that he was stepping down from University research projects funded by NIH. According to one chart presented in the investigation by Grassley’s staff, Dr. Nemeroff had failed to report over $1 million in speaking and consulting fees he received from GlaxoSmithKline at the same time he was conducting research on GSK products funded by NIH. After the release of the letter, Dr. Nemeroff temporarily stepped down as chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and reclused himself from NIH supported research. Also, Emory sent out letters to all medical research faculty members , asking that they assist in Emory’s response to NIH to ensure intuitional compliance with NIH conflict of interest policies. This is the first time the NIH has taken such a tactic, but one that Senator Grassley has been asking for on a by weekly basis, embarrassing psychiatrists one or two at a time, in a state by state strategy. NIH: Grant to Emory Atlanta Journal Constitution: Depression expert at Emory pulls out of research projects Policy and Medicine: Letters from Grassley: Emory Professor Caught with Hands in Cookie Jar
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