I believe this is what was heard discussed on NPR, National Public
Radio.  Too bad!
Judy Ritchie

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/13/health/13JOUR.html

A Medical Journal Eases Conflict Rule
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The New England Journal of Medicine is relaxing its strict
conflict-of-interest rules for authors of certain articles because it
cannot find enough experts without financial ties to drug companies.

The change applies to experts who write either editorials or review
articles, which are not original studies but overviews of research on a
particular drug or treatment. It brings the journal's policy into line
with those of other medical publications.

From 1990 until now, the journal's rule was that nobody who wrote a
review article or editorial could have any financial interest in a
company that made a product discussed by the article, or in any of its
competitors.

Now the journal will forbid such articles by authors who receive
payments of $10,000 or more a year as a result of such a stake, or who
have stock options or patent interests in those companies.

Original studies will continue to indicate the sponsor of the research
and disclose any financial stake the author might have.

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