Academia–Pharma Intersect: Providing a Broader Perspective on Drug Development Synergies between Academia and Industry

In the discussions and debates about ghostwriting and pharmaceutical-industry-sponsored manuscripts, at times the public, Congress, and the academic community lose sight of the tangible contribution of the pharmaceutical industry to the development of valuable new treatments, and the expansion of knowledge about why drugs work and why they fail. This valuable work is often done in collaboration with academic investigators, supported by industry. Much of this work is reported as original research in major journals. However, the broader perspective, as presented in wellwritten papers that review a drug or drug class, also deserves to be heard. By closing the door to manuscripts written and supported by industry, we stand the chance of losing valuable insights and useful experience. The Editors of this journal have personally reviewed and have seen the value of some of these papers, which we have heretofore rejected, and we have pondered how to create an opportunity for their publication. We have come to the conclusion that we should offer an alternative for industry-sponsored or supported reviews. We will, therefore, introduce a new section of the journal, Academia–Pharma Intersect, with Professor H. M. Pinedo, M.D., Ph.D., and Howard A. Burris III, M.D., as Section Editors. The new section will publish papers sponsored and supported by industry, but including academic contributors. All authors must affirm responsibility for the content of their paper, and all authors, including professional medical writers hired by the company, will be identified in the byline. These industry-sponsored papers, which are expected to include information about the broader range of therapeutic options relevant to the discussion, will be peer reviewed and must meet standards of objectivity and fairness. Our intent is to provide the same high quality of content found in the rest of the Journal, but from the broader perspective found at that intersection where academia and industry meet.