Lawsuit Sparks Calls for Libel Law Reform Nature Medicine

news

Australian funding overhaul set into motion Indian universities Australian medical researchers are looking for Larger firms and those undertaking R&D in face misconduct a share of an unprecedented boost to public Australia for which the intellectual property research funding as the Australian government is held offshore will be eligible for a 40% tax allegations responds to the global financial crisis. credit. Australia’s 2009–2010 federal spending on Rebecca James, chief executive officer of A report by the Times of India newspaper science and innovation will soar 25% year on advocacy group Research Australia, says the alleging that admissions to medical year, a commitment welcomed by the Federation changes offer considerable help to small school might have been sold for money of Australians Scientific and Technological companies who spend on eligible R&D. at two private institutions has stirred Societies, a research industry association, as The local pharmaceutical industry, however, controversy in India. The newspaper “exceptional” and “well above expectations.” says changes to the Pharmaceutical Benefits has said it caught officials on tape The 2009–2010 budget allocates an extra Scheme, which subsidizes retail medicine prices, demanding as much as Rs 4 million AU$430 million ($340 million) for health and will cost the industry AU$175 million over five ($80,000) for admission to medical medical research, AU$596 million more for years. degree programs without providing cancer research and a 12% increase in funding Medicines Australia chief executive Ian receipts. for basic research through the National Health Chalmers also rejects the move to require In the wake of these allegations, the and Medical Research Council. the industry to fund the scheme’s advisory country’s education ministry has ordered A major reform of tax incentives will offer a committee. an official probe into the claims. The two 45% tax credit for research and development “It is fundamentally inappropriate for the institutions, Sri Ramachandra University (R&D) spending by firms with annual revenue industry to pay for government procurement and Sree Balaji Medical College, of less than AU$20 million, available as a cash decision making,” Chalmers says. affiliated with Bharat University—both in refund for firms not earning taxable revenue. Simon Grose, Canberra, Australia the south Indian state of Tamilnadu—risk derecognition if found guilty, education ministry spokesperson Mamta Verma told Lawsuit sparks calls for libel law reform Nature Medicine. Dayanand Dongaonkar, secretary Last summer, the British Chiropractic treatments.” Singh, however, claims that he general of the Association of Indian Association filed a libel suit against science simply meant that the treatments are not Universities in New Delhi is waiting for journalist Simon Singh for writing that evidence based. The judge sided with the BCA, the outcome of the probe, saying that the association “happily promotes bogus but Singh plans to appeal the ruling. “we will decide about what action to take treatments.” In May, the two parties met for a Singh’s case has sparked calls for reform on our members once the government preliminary hearing. Singh lost the first round, of British libel laws, which place the burden investigation is over.” but has since won the support of thousands of proof on the defendant rather than on the Ramachandra University’s vice of scientists, journalists, parliamentarians and plaintiff. In June, the British organization chancellor S. Rangaswami did not reply others who say that British libel laws are stifling Sense About Science published a statement to request for comments. The university scientific debate. arguing that the laws “have a chilling effect, has an ongoing research alliance with © All rights reserved. 2009 Inc. Nature America, The brouhaha began in April 2008, when which deters scientists, journalists and science Harvard University in the US. Singh wrote an article for The Guardian’s writers from engaging in important disputes.” “We have been in contact with comment page in which he criticized the British At press time, the statement had more than the leadership of Sri Ramachandra Chiropractic Association (BCA) for offering 12,000 signatures. University, with which we have a up chiropractic as an effective treatment for Some suspect that the BCA’s lawsuit might professional services agreement, and childhood maladies such as asthma and colic. actually be backfiring and causing people to have expressed our wish to see the matter The article coincided with both Chiropractic criticize it. According to Steven Novella, a Yale resolved in appropriate fashion,” says Awareness Week and the release of Singh’s neurologist and frequent blogger, “The more Chris Railey, director of communications book, Trick or Treatment: Alternative Medicine you try to push it down, the more it will bubble and marketing for Partners Harvard on Trial. “I thought it was quite an interesting, up.” Medical International. important and well-researched article,” Singh Cassandra Willyard, New York Balaji College, the newspaper found said in an online statement, “but, unfortunately, from the college’s website, was chaired the British Chiropractic Association claimed I by S. Jagathrakshakan, a junior minister had defamed their reputation.” in the government. The BCA demanded an apology and a But after the exposé his name retraction. The Guardian offered to publish a reportedly disappeared from the website. 500-word response or to print a clarification. Nature Medicine was unable to reach S. When an agreement could not be reached, the Jagathrakshakan for comment. BCA decided to sue Singh (rather than the The admission scam has prompted newspaper) as an “act of last resort.” the education ministry to review the The May hearing was an attempt to ferret out functioning of 123 universities, including exactly what Singh meant by “bogus.” The BCA 55 medical colleges that obtained the Suki Dhanda Suki alleges that Singh implied that the association ‘deemed status’ in last five years. “deliberately promotes fraudulent chiropractic Speaking out: Simon Singh Killugudi Jayaraman, Bangalore, India

nature medicine volume 15 | number 7 | july 2009 723