Stanford University Removes Chief Psychiatrist Schatzberg From Grant Supervisory Post, Due to Potential Conflict of Interest

As reported in Nature

Stanford University last week removed its chairman of psychiatry, Alan Schatzberg, as principal investigator from a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) grant, after a US Senate investigation raised questions about his impartiality in overseeing the grant.

The grant is for investigating the use of mifepristone, a steroid that is being developed for possible use in depression by Corcept Therapeutics, Menlo Park, California, which Schatzberg helped to found and in which he owns 2.7 million shares worth nearly US$6 million.

“Despite our belief that Stanford, NIMH and Dr. Schatzberg have handled this in accordance with the regulations and applicable policies and with due regard to the integrity of the research, we can see how having Dr. Schatzberg as the principal investigator on this grant can create an appearance of conflict of interest and we want to eliminate that concern,” Debra Zumwalt, Stanford's vice-president and general counsel, wrote in a 31 July letter to the NIMH.