Dr. Applegate

 Dr. Applegate

Dr. Applegate was an individual who was a scientific researcher in the 2000s. Dr. Applegate was the primary investigator on the study of a new blood pressure pill, DynaCirc, sponsored by Sandoz (Novartis). Before he could show the results of his study, he was offered a $30,000 a year consulting position with the drug company. Dr. Applegate denied the offer.

“I thought the company was trying to buy my favor and my opinion.”- Overdo$ed America (page 109)

Dr. Applegate described that he was tempted to obtain a grant to conduct a study, but was essentially being conditioned to fabricate the study in favor of new medication. Dr. Applegate felt like the offer was unethical and immoral. Dr. Applegate would negate the opportunity to receive funding to conduct a study that was suggesting that he give a positive review for the new medication. 

The DynaCirc blood pressure medication was shown to cause health complications compared to the older generic medication. Dr. Applegate felt that he was being bribed in order to positively review the blood pressure medication being that it was not good compared to other generic older medication. The company Novartis offered two research grants to Dr. Applegate's research center asking if he had reconsidered changing his position on the study.

Dr. Applegate resigned from the project along with his colleagues. They decided to be ethical and moral rather than to obtain bribes for favorably reviewing a blood pressure medication that was worse than the generics and caused health complications. Dr. Applegate wrote a letter to JAMA describing why they were leaving the study.

"We believed that the sponsor of the study was attempting to wield undue influence on the nature of the final paper. This effort was so oppressive that we felt it inhibited academic freedom and led to substantial differences... with regard to the ultimate presentation and interpretation of results."- (page 109)