title: Corporate Funding for Schools of Public Health: Confronting the Ethical and Economic Challenges.
abstract: We discuss the public and private sponsoring of university research and the issues it raises in a context of diminished federal funding. We consider research funding at schools of public health and why these schools have historically had weaker links to industry than have other academic units. We argue that the possibility of enhanced links with industry at schools of public health may raise specific concerns beyond those facing universities generally. Six issues should be considered before entering into these relationships: (1) the effects on research orientation, (2) unacceptability of some funders, (3) potential threats to objectivity and academic freedom, (4) effects on academic standards, (5) the effects on dissemination of knowledge, and (6) reputational risks.
authors.affiliation: Ronald Bayer is with the Center for the History and Ethics of Public Health, Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY. Bhaven N. Sampat is with the Department of Health Policy and Management, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bayer
authors.affiliation: Ronald Bayer is with the Center for the History and Ethics of Public Health, Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY. Bhaven N. Sampat is with the Department of Health Policy and Management, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.
authors.forename: Bhaven N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Sampat
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000191:economics* / Q000941:ethics; D016265:Conflict of Interest / Q000191:economics*; D005381:Financing, Organized / Q000191:economics / Q000941:ethics; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry / Q000191:economics* / Q000941:ethics; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000941:ethics; D007400:Interprofessional Relations / Q000941:ethics; D011634:Public Health / Q000193:education*; D012109:Research Support as Topic / Q000941:ethics*; D012576:Schools, Health Occupations / Q000191:economics* / Q000941:ethics