State of affairs 1

Althea Caldwell is the director of Arizona's Department of Health Services (DHS).  DHS is charged the administration of the state's behavioral health system and is responsible for contracting with private providers for millions of dollars of mental health care each year for eligible patients.

Ms. Caldwell accepted a $20,000 per year director position for a hospital group corporation.  One of the hospitals in the group was one to which state contracts for mental health treatment had been awarded.

One month after accepting the position, Ms. Caldwell asked the state's attorney general for an opinion as to whether she had a conflict of interest.

Does Ms. Caldwell have a conflict of interest?  (PC)

State of affairs 2

Stanford University medical researchers conducted a study on the correlation between the use of fertility drugs and ovarian cancer.  Their study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, concludes that the use of the fertility drugs, Pergonal and Serophene, may increase the risk of ovarian cancer by three times.  The lead author of the studies, Professor Alice Whittemore, stated, "Our finding in regard to fertility drugs is by no means certain.  It is based on very small numbers and is really very tenuous."

FDA Commissioner David Kessler would like the infertility drug manufacturers to disclose the study findings and offer a warning on the drug packages.  He notes, "Even though the epidemiology study is still preliminary, women have a right to know what is known.  We're not looking to make more of this than there is."

If you were a manufacturer of one of the drugs, would you voluntarily disclose the study information?  (PL; JS; GC)