But did the Celebrex Guys Train There?

The Yale Herald reports on the completion of the Pfizer building in New Haven, where it is setting up shop to do an incredible amount of clinical research. Bob Levine and Samuel Gorovitz are quoted. The relationship with Yale promises to be, um, interesting:

THE CONSTRUCTION SITE OVERLOOKS the Yale Medical School, a neighbor which Pfizer is glad to have. In fact, the Medical School proved a tipping point in Pfizer's decision to build its new unit in New Haven.

Dr. Robert Alpern, Dean of the Medical School, expressed enthusiasm over collaborations between the institutions. "We're extremely excited about the opening of the unit in New Haven," he said. "Pfizer has a lot of talent, skills, and resources that Yale doesn't have, and vice versa, so we think we're actually in a position to help each other a lot" ...

And also, well, there are lots of really poor people in New Haven with not much to do, which prompts all sorts of interesting criticism

When Pfizer announced its plans in 2003, the initial reaction from the people of New Haven was mixed. The New Haven Advocate featured an article on its front cover, headlined, "Guinea Pig City." Written by Paul Bass, the article accused Pfizer of exploiting the inner city population of New Haven by offering volunteers high prices to take experimental drugs. Bass proposes that Pfizer allow community input on its ethical review boards.

Levine is point-blank about the risks of this cozy relationship: "'What if Pfizer says we want certain sorts of research done here? Are the review committees at Yale going to be intimidated? These people have already given us a $35 million building plus the funding, so we better do what they want,' said Levine. 'Even to a university with Yale's endowment, that's a pretty attractive thing.'"

New York HIV Experiments on Children (Updated)

It appears that vulnerable children in some of New York's poorest districts are being forced to take part in HIV drug trials. [thanks Jim Coyne] Paul Root Wolpe pointed out that the story has actually been around for a while. UPDATE: Glaxo Smith Kline responds. [thanks Andrew Rosenthal]

The Coldest War

Detroit Free Press reporter David Zeman discusses the matter of cold war testing on soldiers, and the more expansive tests on others, with Moreno and Rothman.

Would You Like a Camcorder with that Pesticide, Son?

The EPA is conducting experiments using pesticide that have raised great concern.

In exchange for participating for two years in the Children's Environmental Exposure Research Study, which involves infants and children up to age 3, the EPA will give each family using pesticides in their home $970, some children's clothing and a camcorder that parents can keep.

UPDATE: The Washington Post reports that the study has been suspended.

First Person Account of "Soldiers as Guinea Pigs"

An ex-commander of the Dover AFB says his troops were used as guinea pigs in illegal medical experiments under the anthrax vaccine program. Dover has become the most important location in which the program occured, so this claim is an important one.