AstraZeneca links to Nobel probed

In case you missed it, I had a story on the front page of the Toronto Star  yesterday looking at a corruption probe into allegations pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca's sponsorship of Nobel Award publicity companies influenced the awarding of the prize for medicine this year.

At this point, the investigation by Swedish anti-corruption prosecutors is still looking into whether a full investigation is needed. As they described it to me, everything at this stage is "very preliminary."

Part of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded this fall to Harald zur Hausen, a German scientist who discovered the links between human papilloma viruses and cervical cancer. The discovery could be a financial bonanza for AstraZeneca, which holds the patents on ingredients in the vaccines used to fight the viruses.

Officials at AstraZeneca and Nobel have denied any wrongdoing.

Since my story appeared, but the Times of London and the London Telegraph have picked up on the story, as well as others.

Prosecutors are also looking onto free trips to China for awards judges.

Comments

[deana]

This is an easy one:

One needs only look at the other nominees to get some idea of whether Harald zur Hausen deserved the prize; bribery or not, and given that bribery was probably common to all. For one, I was pretty impressed by his discovery in terms of dealing with a virus. These creatures are pretty difficult to beat and this discovery could lead to other things.

The only drawback to advertizing this discovery with an award would be social and moral because it removes a deterrent to promiscuity. But that's another topic, and perhaps a way to win the Nobel prize next time.

[kavi]

The only drawback to advertizing this discovery with an award would be social and moral because it removes a deterrent to promiscuity. But that's another topic, and perhaps a way to win the Nobel prize next time.