Tobacco grants funded BU cancer research
Abbie Ruzicka
Issue date: 3/27/08 Section: News
Boston University has received more than $3.5 million from tobacco giant Philip Morris since 1995, much of which has directly funded research on the BU Medical Campus, according to a university database and research and corporate documents.
Research done by the BU Cancer Research Center, the School of Medicine's genetics and genomics department and the Pulmonary Center cited Philip Morris and its subsidiaries, including the Philip Morris External Research Program, as funding sources, according to study and research presentation documents.
Some of the money granted to the BU Medical Campus funded research about cancer gene therapy, the relationship between heart disease and nicotine, the effects of cigarette smoke on the pulmonary system and genetic predisposition to hypertension, according to a PMERP management report from 2004.
Cancer Research Center Director Douglas Faller received $268,759 from the Philip Morris Foundation for a 2004 study involving cancer treatment, according to a BUMC research report.
"I can't see how any research that I have done plays into any marketing campaign," he said, "I'm relatively willing to take research funds from anyone that will help me help people."
A chain of emails between BU and Philip Morris employees from 2002 discussed plans for the PMERP to fund research at BU.
"The grants total a little over $2M; $1M of which goes directly to the University," states a June 12, 2002 email sent to Rick Solana, now the senior vice president of research and technology at Philip Morris USA.
Because of a 1998 U.S. Supreme Court ruling tobacco companies are required to disclose all their company documents.
BU School of Public Health social and behavioral sciences department Associate Chairman Michael Siegel said he did not know about Philip Morris funding at BU.
"I'm not questioning the validity or objectivity of the research," Siegel said. "The problem with this research is that by virtue of taking this money BU is basically allowing itself to be used as a pawn in the marketing scheme that the tobacco companies are playing."
Research done by the BU Cancer Research Center, the School of Medicine's genetics and genomics department and the Pulmonary Center cited Philip Morris and its subsidiaries, including the Philip Morris External Research Program, as funding sources, according to study and research presentation documents.
Some of the money granted to the BU Medical Campus funded research about cancer gene therapy, the relationship between heart disease and nicotine, the effects of cigarette smoke on the pulmonary system and genetic predisposition to hypertension, according to a PMERP management report from 2004.
Cancer Research Center Director Douglas Faller received $268,759 from the Philip Morris Foundation for a 2004 study involving cancer treatment, according to a BUMC research report.
"I can't see how any research that I have done plays into any marketing campaign," he said, "I'm relatively willing to take research funds from anyone that will help me help people."
A chain of emails between BU and Philip Morris employees from 2002 discussed plans for the PMERP to fund research at BU.
"The grants total a little over $2M; $1M of which goes directly to the University," states a June 12, 2002 email sent to Rick Solana, now the senior vice president of research and technology at Philip Morris USA.
Because of a 1998 U.S. Supreme Court ruling tobacco companies are required to disclose all their company documents.
BU School of Public Health social and behavioral sciences department Associate Chairman Michael Siegel said he did not know about Philip Morris funding at BU.
"I'm not questioning the validity or objectivity of the research," Siegel said. "The problem with this research is that by virtue of taking this money BU is basically allowing itself to be used as a pawn in the marketing scheme that the tobacco companies are playing."
Viewing Comments 1 - 9 of 9
Chris
posted 3/27/08 @ 9:05 AM EST
BU always does anything for a penny. No suprise here.
b.welch
posted 3/27/08 @ 9:25 AM EST
Interesting exposure.
If there is a follow up article, I would be interested in learning more detail about the specific studies that Phillip Morris has funded and the results of that research as well as interviews with the identifed universities that have chosen to refuse the grants coming from tobacco companies. (Continued…)
B. Welch
B Welch
posted 3/27/08 @ 9:51 AM EST
Interesting exposure. IF there will be a follow up article, I would like to know about the specific research taht was funded by Phillip Morris and other tobacco companies and the results of those research projects. (Continued…)
ANONYMOUS
posted 3/27/08 @ 10:11 AM EST
Private medical schools are allowed to accept funding from whoever they want.
Jon
posted 3/27/08 @ 5:13 PM EST
Faller took $268,759 from tobacco giant Philip Morris. Faller says "I'm relatively willing to take research funds from anyone that will help me help people. (Continued…)
k.lee
posted 3/28/08 @ 3:22 PM EST
Please look at the big picture!
Isn't the drugs and valuable research more important than where the money came from? How many of us could afford to fund research ?
I have a rare and incurable disease that untill the middle 90's there was no drug for. (Continued…)
ANONYMOUS
posted 3/30/08 @ 1:38 AM EST
The problenm with this issue is NOT within the research itself but in WHERE the research came from. Philip is using universities all over the worls to do reseach like this- but not to support not the victime of a terrible illness- but to back up their bottom line. (Continued…)
b.
posted 3/30/08 @ 10:43 PM EST
how do we know that the funding source of research ends up as a lucrative endeavor to the funding source/ what is the flow and benefit to the funding source? I wonder if this were researched further what would result? I wonder how the funding of the research lends itself to padding the pocket of the doner? IS there more harm than good?. (Continued…)
anonymous
posted 3/31/08 @ 10:08 AM EST
Since this has become front page news in the Globe I say bravo to The Daily Free Press and the Author of this article, Abbie Ruzicka. It seems a shame when an independent paper run by students produces such quality reporting that more credit is not given. (Continued…)
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