Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, on conflicts of interest in medicine

According to the Houston Chronicle, the University of Texas is allowing a limited waiver to its conflict of interest policy in order to allow the president of the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Ronald DePinho, to maintain his financial ties to drug companies.  Dr. DePinho has the largest interests in Karyopharm and Metamark, which he co-founded, and nearly $4.9 million of stock in Aveo, and the Chronicle says these companies are the most likely to propose clinical trials at M. D. Anderson.

I'm scratching my head here.  If this isn't a conflict of interest in medicine, then what is?  Kudos to Sen. Grassley (R-Iowa) for his comments to the Chronicle:

The limited waiver was criticized by U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, who has investigated conflicts of interest in medicine and championed legislation to make ties more transparent.

In an email Tuesday, Grassley said "the onus" is on the UT System to explain how the "arrangements completely protect patients and the integrity of medical research."

"Even if Dr. DePinho's financial holdings are in a blind trust, the perception of bias by M.D. Anderson researchers toward companies co-owned by the boss could taint their research," Grassley wrote. "And why is it important for the head of M.D. Anderson to have been active in 'commercialization activities?'

"The emphasis on 'commercialization' is potentially inconsistent with the goal of treating patients, so the university should explain further how the public benefits."