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http://www.insidesources.com/dysfun...flict-of-interest-in-the-debate-over-opioids/
"Dr. Roger Chou of Oregon Health and Sciences University served both as one of the contributing authors and as a member of the Core Expert Group. In 2009, he was the lead author for opioid guidelines commissioned by the American Pain Society and the American Academy of Pain Medicine that reached conclusions that were significantly more open to prescribing opioids. Research into opioid use has changed little since the 2009 guidelines were written. Chou’s decision to alter course is unclear. He did not respond to a request for an interview.
There are several more moderate members of the Core Expert Group, but Harvard’s Stossel, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, recognizes potential problems with the panel based on research in behavioral economics. His research indicates that industry connections do not improperly skew medical research. But in the case of the CDC panel, he says there may be a “conformity cascade.” The CDC placed a number of outspoken anti-opioid activists on a panel with only a few moderate members and no pain experts. While vigorous debate can lead to good policy decisions, the Core Expert Group lacked opposing arguments, and a drive to conformity can lead all members to reach conclusions inconsistent with the evidence."
"Dr. Roger Chou of Oregon Health and Sciences University served both as one of the contributing authors and as a member of the Core Expert Group. In 2009, he was the lead author for opioid guidelines commissioned by the American Pain Society and the American Academy of Pain Medicine that reached conclusions that were significantly more open to prescribing opioids. Research into opioid use has changed little since the 2009 guidelines were written. Chou’s decision to alter course is unclear. He did not respond to a request for an interview.
There are several more moderate members of the Core Expert Group, but Harvard’s Stossel, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, recognizes potential problems with the panel based on research in behavioral economics. His research indicates that industry connections do not improperly skew medical research. But in the case of the CDC panel, he says there may be a “conformity cascade.” The CDC placed a number of outspoken anti-opioid activists on a panel with only a few moderate members and no pain experts. While vigorous debate can lead to good policy decisions, the Core Expert Group lacked opposing arguments, and a drive to conformity can lead all members to reach conclusions inconsistent with the evidence."