University Researcher Who Recommended Tanning Beds For Vitamin D Issues Funded By Tanning Industry

[hatrack]

A Boston University researcher who authored an article in the New England Journal of Medicine last year recommending the moderate use of tanning beds as a way to treat or avoid vitamin-D deficiency has received research funding from an organization funded and controlled by the tanning-bed industry.

The link to researcher Michael Holick's work and the tanning industry wasn't made clear in the article. A note at the end of the article disclosed that Dr. Holick's research was funded, in part, by the UV Foundation. No information about the foundation was provided.

EDIT

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120848765109825533.html

[mike_c]

1. that's the NEJM editor's job if I'm not mistaken...

...unless the editor asked and the author lied. Of course, the author STILL had a responsibility to reveal a conflict of interest-- I'm not trying to dismiss that responsibility, only to say that the journal apparently let down its end, too.