A staggering $1.06 billion was paid by the pharmaceutical industry to peer reviewers at leading medical journals between 2020 and 2022, a study in JAMA reveals. Esteemed publications like The BMJ, JAMA, The Lancet, and The New England Journal of Medicine were among those impacted.
The payments included $1 billion for research, with another $64.18 million spent on general expenses like travel and meals. Consulting and speaking fees totalled $46.11 million. Over half of the nearly 2,000 peer reviewers analysed received at least one payment during this period.
Unlike authors, peer reviewers are not typically required to disclose financial ties, leaving potential conflicts of interest hidden. This lack of transparency raises concerns about the impartiality of the peer review process, vital to ensuring unbiased science.
Experts warn these payments could undermine trust in scientific research. Calls are growing for stricter disclosure rules and accountability to safeguard the integrity of academic publishing.ntegrity of academic publishing and restore trust in the scientific process.
Source: Principia Scientific
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