A Sponsor as Author on an "Independent" Study

Now here is a interesting citation from http://www.seedmagazine.com/news/2006/05/taking_aim_at_scientific_journ.php:

"Olivieri [CEO of Blackwell] served as co-author on a study released last week-sponsored by Blackwell but carried out by independent researchers-that found scientists rank lack of access 12th in a list of annoyances contributing to a lack of productivity."

Now, Olivieri is CEO of Blackwell. How come he is "author" on a study "carried out by independent researchers"? Either the study was really "independent" meaning that Olivieri was not involved in the study, in which case he should NOT be listed as author, or he was involved, in which case authorship is deserved, but the study can't be called "independent." Or am I missing something here?

Gunther Eysenbach
Senior Scientist, Centre for Global eHealth Innovation

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The ICMJE guidelines for authorship state:

"Authorship credit should be based on 1) substantial contributions to conception and design, or acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; 2) drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; and 3) final approval of the version to be published. Authors should meet conditions 1, 2, and 3."

If Mr. Olivieri was involved in interpreting the data and/or writing the manuscript, then he definitely should be listed as an author. Whether the study itself was truly independent, and if so whether the manuscript is unbiased, is another matter.

Bill Tierney
Co-Editor-in-Chief, Journal of General Internal Medicine

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The point Gunther is making is about the "independence" of the author in a so-called independent study sponsored by an organisation of which he is CEO, not whether he fulfills authorship criteria.

Does occupying a position as CEO potentially compromise his independence? Yes, it does.

A CEO should think 10 times before becoming a co-author in research his company sponsors.

However, that does not mean a CEO should be deprived of the right to be a co-author, which anybody has, if he fulfils the ICMJE criteria quoted by Bill.

In this case, his employer should also express their "no objection" to the CEO engaging independently in a study they sponsor.

What is the solution?

The CEO must clearly declare:

1. His employment in the sponsoring company as his conflict of interest.
2. That the research work done with regard to the study was independent of his employment with the said company.
3. A letter from the employer, permitting him to be co-author should be obtained prior to the CEOs involvement in the study as co-author. (The prior is very important, for obvious reasons.)
4. The substantial contribution of each co-author should be specified as a note below/along with conflict of interest. (This is especially important in this study, again, for obvious reasons.)

The reviewers should take these points into consideration.

The readers will judge for themselves.

In any case, we must note that such a study, howsoever well planned and executed, will always remain under a cloud as to authenticity.

Hence, potential authors who plan such work need to be be forewarned.

Ajai

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