Breast Implants: How Industry Manipulates Science & Gambles with YOUR future

Eleos Fry
Jun 2, 2023
2 min read

Trust Us We’re Experts : How industry manipulates science and gambles with YOUR future by Sheldon Rampton & John Stauber was first published in 2002. Manipulated “science” is marketing but its a BIG part of the Global Game of Implants and it’s still being played out today over 20 years later in the silicone breast implant industry. Desperate to continue to offer silicone implants with a FAKEnarrative of safety, in a forthcoming episode of the Global Game of Implants we discuss the industry’s “experts” who are paid to keep dangerous breast implants on the market or who help to bring dangerous products to market by manipulating the evidence and safety narrative, gambling with women’s health and lives.

Warning Signs

We will tackle some of the key concerns about #distortedSCIENCE and highlight ways in which you can run checks and find the worst offenders.

🚩 Who are the authors of the study? How can you tell if they are “industry experts”?

🚩 What are the professional Rules regarding conflicts of interest?

🚩 Who can you trust?

“Using Open Payments data, a 2016 study found that receipt of industry-sponsored meals, even just a single meal, was associated with an increase in the rate of prescribing the promoted brand-name drug. The more money doctors receive, on average, the more brand-name medications they prescribe. The evidence shows that even small gifts induce unconscious feelings of gratitude and reciprocity. Gifts to physicians can perpetuate a mindset of entitlement.’

Swanson E, Brown T. A Discussion of Conflicts of Interest in Plastic Surgery and Possible Remedies. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2018 Dec 12;6(12):e2043. doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000002043. PMID: 30656120; PMCID: PMC6326602.

Concerns surrounding distorted research are serious.

So much so the British Medical Journal has produced a collection of articles on the theme.

Growing evidence shows that extensive financial relationships between industry and healthcare decision makers distort scientific research, medical education and the practice of medicine. The biggest problem is that industry sponsored studies produce more favourable results creating biased evidence that overplays benefits and downplays harms. In response, many individuals and groups around the world are moving towards independence from commercial interests in research, education, practice and policy.“

You will find the collection Commercial Influence here at the British Medical Journal BMJ https://www.bmj.com/commercial-influence