[Ip-health] Reporting the $802 number -- Independence of Tufts CSDD

[James Love]

Reporting on the independence of the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug
Development, as a source of information on drug development costs.

The Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development is primarily funded
by large pharmaceutical companies, and it aggressively seeks corporate
sponsorship, including for example several web pages that list the
benefits of corporate sponsorship and glowing testimonials from big
pharma CEOS.  The Center routinely produces data that is used by big
pharma companies in key Congressional debates over pricing and
regulatory policies, and its study of drug development costs was
announced by the CEO of Merck.  So how did the news media describe this
Center and its staff?
   
  Jamie

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/01/business/01DRUG.html
NYTimes December 1, 2001
Research Cost For New Drugs Said to Soar
By ROBERT PEAR

Lead: A new round in the national debate over prescription drugs opened
today with a study from researchers at Tufts University estimating that
the average cost of developing a new drug has more than doubled since
1987, to $802 million.  

9th paragraph
Data for the study were obtained from 10 drug companies, and the Tufts
center receives financial support from drug companies, among others. But
in issuing the study, the Tufts center said it was "widely respected as
an independent source of information on drug development." Dr. DiMasi
said there were "no strings attached" to the money it received from drug
companies.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42120-2001Nov30.html
Price Tag for a New Drug: $802 Million
Findings of Tufts University Study Are Disputed by Several Watchdog
Groups 
By Ceci Connolly
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, December 1, 2001; Page A10 

2nd paragraph:
Several watchdog groups immediately discounted the work of the Tufts
University researchers, arguing that the calculations ignore the large
tax deductions and government grants that drug companies receive.


10th paragraph:
The center receives much of its funding from the industry, although
DiMasi said the money comes "with no strings attached." Its Web site has
a section dedicated to praise from industry executives.


http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/011130/n30295250_1.html
Friday November 30, 6:19 pm Eastern Time
Drug development costs $802 mln on average--study
(UPDATE: adds consumer group, Merck comments paragraphs 14-15, 17)
By Lisa Richwine 
(Reuters)

Lead: The average cost to develop a new prescription drug has jumped to
$802 million, an academic research center said Friday, attributing most
of the increase to rising clinical trial costs.

9th paragraph:
The Tufts center, based in Boston and affiliated with Tufts University,
receives funding from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, but
Kaitin said the financial support was unrestricted and the center's
research was independent.


http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20011130/hl/drug_development_costs_1.html
Friday November 30 5:31 PM ET 
Activists Slam Drug Dev. Cost Study
By THERESA AGOVINO, AP Business Writer 

3rd paragraph
Activists contended that the Center is partially funded by the
pharmaceutical industry and noted that the study's methodology wasn't
immediately fully disclosed. 

6th paragraph
Joseph A. DiMasi, director of economic analysis at the Tufts center and
the author of the study,  dismissed suggestions that the industry's
funding of the Center had an influence.


http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/335/business/R_D_costs_for_drugs_skyrocket_study_says+.shtml
R&D costs for drugs skyrocket, study says
Tufts Center estimates amount up threefold from a decade ago
By Naomi Aoki, Globe Staff, 12/1/2001

2nd paragraph:  The estimate, released yesterday by the Tufts Center for
the Study of Drug Development, updates the decade-old study that placed
the average cost of drug development at $231 million in 1987 and has
served as the basis for more recent estimates.

7th paragraph:
The Tufts study was funded out of the center's general budget. The
center receives 65 percent of its support from industry-related sources.
The funds are unrestricted, however, meaning the center is free to use
the money as it sees fit. It also seeks to publish its work in
peer-reviewed journals to ensure its independence.