Medical Writing Good Pharma If a misinformed voice speaks out in the wilderness and no one refutes it, does it make a sound? A call to advocacy

Volume 22, Issue 4 - Good Pharma

If a misinformed voice speaks out in the wilderness and no one refutes it, does it make a sound? A call to advocacy

Abstract

The pharmaceutical industry has been a soft target for many years. Attacks by journalists, politicians, and the lay public tend to be triggered by publications with which professional medical writers are associated. Fault is found, either in the content, perceived obfuscation of content, or on perceived deceptive authorship practices. The term ‘ghostwriter’ is used with great frequency and is often misapplied, or ill-defined (if it is defined, at all). For the most part, these criticisms have gone unanswered. We must understand that we represent the potential for the strongest and most influential voice in refuting misinformation and misunderstanding about our role. We must educate our critics about the value that we bring to communications about new therapies. We are our own best advocates in ensuring that critics of our profession are brought out of the wilderness.

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References

  1. Angell M. The truth about the drug companies: how they deceive us and what to do about it. New York: Random House Inc.; 2004.
  2. Goldacre B. Bad Pharma: how drug companies mislead doctors and harm patients. New York: Faber & Faber Inc.; 2012.
  3. Woolley KL. Goodbye Ghostwriters!: how to work ethically and efficiently with professional medical writers. Chest 2006;130(3):921–3.
  4. Iverson C, et al. AMA Manual of Style. 10th ed. New York: Oxford; 2007. p. 125–300
  5. Woolley KL, Gertel A, Hamilton C, Jacobs A, Snyder G. Don't be a fool – don't use fool's gold. Am J Med 2012;125(10):e21–2.

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If a misinformed voice speaks out in the wilderness and no one refutes it, does it make a sound? A call to advocacy
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Editorial: Pharmaism
Legal remedies for medical ghostwriting: Imposing fraud liability on guest authors of ghostwritten articles
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Profile: An interview with Dr Gustavo A. Silva on the concept of public health in medical writing and translation
AuthorAID: An international service and chance to serve
India as a hub for ethical and evidence-based medical communications
Providing value for medicines in older people
In the Bookstores
Journal Watch
The Webscout
Regulatory Writing
Medical Communications
Manuscript Writing
Out On Our Own
Erratum
The Light Stuff

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