Industry and the Academy: Conflicts of Interest in Contemporary Health Research

The case of Dr. Nancy Olivieri, the Hospital for Sick Children (HSC), the University of Toronto, and Apotex Inc. (hereinafter the "Olivieri case") is critically important to an understanding of the issues central to contemporary health research and the safety of research participants. First, the case illustrates the huge stakes in such research – not only billions of dollars, but the health of Canadians. Second, the case played out at a crucial time in the history of the regulation of health research. Like other recent high-profile cases, it challenged the ways in which research is governed at the local and national levels and fuelled calls for significant governance reform. Finally, it is relevant not only nationally but in individual communities right across the country. What happened in Toronto could have happened (and could still happen) anywhere in Canada. To pursue the promises and avoid the perils of contemporary health research, it is essential to attend to the lessons of this case.