Military Analysts and Key Opinion Leaders

As noted at the Carlat Psychiatry Blog, it sure is strange to see the similarities between "independent" military analysts and "independent" scientists/key opinion leaders. What do they both have in common? They both pass along talking points from an outside source, lending these marketing messages an air of independence and credibility. Check out the New York Times for the story on the military analysts. Check out this story on "independent scientists" and information laundering here for just one of many, many examples of scientists selling out.

And see the clip below for a few examples of military analysts bravely repeating talking points in the name of their Pentagon Masters, er, defense contractors, er, Patriotism and the Defense of Freedom.

What Tangled Webs We Weave...

Roy Poses of Health Care Renewal did some digging and turned up gold. One really has to wonder whom some of our "leaders" in healthcare truly pledge their allegiance. Read the paragraph below and tell me that this does anything other than make you curse under your breath (or aloud):

So a director of Eli Lilly that was accused of responsibility for the company's poor performance, poor performance which presumably included its mis-marketing of Zyprexa, also turns out to be responsible for the management of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, currently under fire for maintaining an "A-list" of favored patients, and letting its top executives live the high life on donated funds, practices that go against its mission.

Want the full story? Head over to Health Care Renewal and check it out. You'll also find some background material there -- by the time you're done reading it all, you are guaranteed to have smoke coming from your ears. File under outrageous.

Best *!&@! Article Ever

Well, at least the best article on cursing. While I've somehow received a G-rating for this site, I think the politics of cursing are fascinating. Look at how much time and emotion we put into the idea of cursing. No, you can't say that word -- that'll get you a parental advisory warning. If you said that word in class, you could get fired. Et cetera. I'm not advocating for a cuss like a gangsta rapper society or for prudishness. What I am advocating is that y'all read an incredibly interesting article on cursing by Dr. Stephen Pinker, available the New Republic's website.

Hey, it can't be all drugs, "science," and PR all the time on this site, can it? Actually, I have a tie-in. When doing my investigative work for this site, look at how many times I've ended up thinking "WTF is going on here??!?!?!" A few examples:

• Demented Marketing of Zyprexa
• Off-Label Marketing of Zyprexa
• Atypical Antipsychotics vs. Older Meds: $$$
• AstraZeneca's Sponsored Editorial
• Martin Keller, Bad Science, and Paxil
• BOLDER Statements
• Martin Keller Stumping for Long-Term Effexor Treatment
• Key Opinion Leader Contradicts Himself
• PhRMA President Contradicts Himself
• Antipsychotic Newspeak
• Subthreshold Bipolar: The Giant Sucking Sound
• SSRI's, Suicide, and Dunce Journalism
  

Hat Tip: Mind Hacks.