FDA staff "enjoy travel paid for by drug firms"

The Washington DC-based US pressure-group the Center for Public Integrity has attacked the Food and Drug Administration for allowing some staff to receive travel expenses paid for indirectly by drug firms. In a report published this week, the study's authors claim that $1.3 million of FDA travel costs since 1999 were paid by non-profit associations that receive substantial donations from drug companies.

Singled out for mention was the Drug Information Association, which allegedly paid for "more than 600 trips" taken by FDA employees. The travel payments were generally to allow FDA personnel to attend conferences, usually on technical issues. The CPI report can be found on-line at: www.publicintegrity.org and is titled Pushing Prescriptions.