Nov 28, 2024 07:57 AM
https://www.news-medical.net/news/202411...cerns.aspx
INTRO: An investigation published by The BMJ today reveals the extent of fossil fuel industry involvement in medical research, leading to fresh calls for academics and publishing companies to cut ties with companies.
An analysis by journalists Hristio Boytchev, Natalie Widmann and Simon Wörpel found that over the past six years, more than 180 medical articles have acknowledged fossil fuel industry funding, and an additional 1000 articles feature authors who worked for a fossil fuel company or related organization.
While many studies don't have an obvious link with fossil fuel industry interests, experts told The BMJ that publishing research benefits the companies by enhancing their reputation and buying influence with researchers and health practitioners.
The BMJ analysis found that Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia's national oil company, was involved in around 600 articles, mostly through Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare (JHAH), a joint project between the oil giant and Johns Hopkins Medicine. Many of these papers concerned infectious diseases such as covid-19 and Mpox.
ExxonMobil was linked to the second largest group of articles. The ExxonMobil Foundation has funded the WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network, which supports malaria research. Until recently, the company spent almost three decades drilling for oil in Equatorial Guinea, a country with a high risk of malaria.
Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and ExxonMobil did not respond to The BMJ's requests to comment. Saudi Aramco declined to comment.
More than 1,000 articles were co-authored by employees of the companies... (MORE - details)
INTRO: An investigation published by The BMJ today reveals the extent of fossil fuel industry involvement in medical research, leading to fresh calls for academics and publishing companies to cut ties with companies.
An analysis by journalists Hristio Boytchev, Natalie Widmann and Simon Wörpel found that over the past six years, more than 180 medical articles have acknowledged fossil fuel industry funding, and an additional 1000 articles feature authors who worked for a fossil fuel company or related organization.
While many studies don't have an obvious link with fossil fuel industry interests, experts told The BMJ that publishing research benefits the companies by enhancing their reputation and buying influence with researchers and health practitioners.
The BMJ analysis found that Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia's national oil company, was involved in around 600 articles, mostly through Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare (JHAH), a joint project between the oil giant and Johns Hopkins Medicine. Many of these papers concerned infectious diseases such as covid-19 and Mpox.
ExxonMobil was linked to the second largest group of articles. The ExxonMobil Foundation has funded the WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network, which supports malaria research. Until recently, the company spent almost three decades drilling for oil in Equatorial Guinea, a country with a high risk of malaria.
Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and ExxonMobil did not respond to The BMJ's requests to comment. Saudi Aramco declined to comment.
More than 1,000 articles were co-authored by employees of the companies... (MORE - details)
