Scientific inquiry requires the free flow of information, but industry-sponsored contracts often include non-disclosure clauses to prevent the dissemination of research. In some cases, this non-disclosure poses a serious threat to the health of Canadians.

While working at the University of Toronto affiliated Hospital for Sick Children (HSC), Dr. Nancy Olivieri signed a contract to test a new drug for the pharmaceutical company Apotex. Upon discovering that some of her child subjects were experiencing high levels of iron toxicity that could lead to life-threatening liver cirrhosis, Olivieri immediately stopped the tests and insisted that the health risks be communicated to her patients’ parents. Citing the contract’s non-disclosure clause, Apotex not only refused to communicate the risks, but also halted all further drug trials at the HSC, confiscated the trial medicine, fired Olivieri from the study, and threatened her with litigation if she divulged any information to her patients.

Acting on her ethical obligations, and confident that the University and the Hospital would support her, Olivieri informed her patients of the risks. A bizarre series of events ensued that the Globe & Mail would later refer to as “Canada’s worst academic and research scandal in decades”.4

Olivieri began receiving anonymous threatening letters from a co-worker receiving Apotex funding. Anonymous letters containing unfounded allegations against Olivieri were also sent to the media and the HSC disciplinary committee. Apotex, as well as some hospital and University administrators, used these allegations to level charges against Olivieri and discredit her work.

Six years after the first signs of problems with the drug were detected, the Independent Committee of Inquiry5 exonerated Olivieri of all allegations of misconduct. The Committee’s report recommended that universities be prohibited from entering into research contracts that restrict the communication of results. The report was explicitly critical of the University and the HSC for failing to protect Olivieri’s academic freedom. It later became public that, at the time Olivieri came under attack, the University of Toronto was in negotiations with Apotex over a $20 million building investment.

As a result of her experiences, Olivieri helped found the organisation Doctors for Research Integrity and works to oppose the adverse influence of corporate interests on public research.