Thanks for this Ghislain.
I've personally wrestled with this aspect of publicity of proprietary data.

In the case of Bayer Cropscience, Bayer set up a dedicated website for the
members of the original Bayer-Beekeeper Dialog Group set up by Jerry
Bromenshenk and David Fischer of Bayer.  The only limitation placed upon us
what that we couldn't copy and forward the actual data to their
competitors, who could have then used that data to register competing
products.  I commend Bayer on their openness.  I have yet to find Bayer to
withhold any information that I have ever requested, even when such
information may appear to involve potential negative aspects of their
products.

I recently asked the manufacturer of Dimilin insecticide to review their
proprietary data, and was granted a conference call a few days ago with
their lead scientists in Europe.  The plan is for me to sign an NDA and be
given access to that data, so that I can summarize the results for the
benefit of the beekeeping community (I will work in conjunction with Drs
Eric Mussen and Reed Johnson).

Trickier is when I get paid to run a field trial for a company with a
product to sell to beekeepers.  My agreement with Beeologics was that I
would be free to publish the results of the trials, good, bad, or
indifferent--which I have or are in the process of.  Luckily for them, the
product was clearly effective!

When Beeologics was acquired by Monsanto, I only agreed to continue if they
agreed in writing to give me access to the data from the control
group--again potentially to the great benefit of the bee scientific
community.

I've also run trials for products in development.  In this case, I feel
that the data can remain proprietary, since the product is not on the
market.  Trust me, if it later came to market and I knew something negative
about it, I would then run my own independent trial, funded by donations to
my website, to bring that fact to the beekeeping community's attention!

The situation is different for products on the market.  I do not want to be
put into the position of finding that a product is mere snake oil (or
harmful to colonies) and not be able to say so!  I am currently in
negotiation with a company to run an expensive year-long trial of their
product, which is already on the market.  We are currently working out
whether they will accept my condition of freedom to publish the results
should they be negative.

The beauty of my position is that I don't care about the money, since I
make more from the hives if I don't engage them in trials.  Running a
proper field trial is a real pain, and finding time for data collection
this week when my other hives cry for attention has forced us to work long
hours six or seven days a week--who looks forward to weighing and grading
150 hives in a trial when the rest of your colonies are about to swarm!

So no manufacturer has any leverage over me, since I have no financial
interest.  The only reason that I run field trials is for the benefit of
beekeepers who trust in my to give them accurate information.  I take that
trust very seriously.

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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