Supreme Court to weigh science

Grassroots AIDS Knowledge

Grassroots AIDS groups create, disseminate, and interpret knowledge. Their success in these new roles shows that traditional, top-down dissemination theories are inadequate; the debate over marginal innovation has defined marginality too simplistically; and the scientific journal is not the only source of scientific information. These circumstances—combined with what is known about "boundary work" by mainstream scientists—indicate that, despite problms, AIDS grassroots knowledge production challenges traditional definitions and boundaries of scientific work and offers a gateway to wider democratization of science. Using a resource mobilization approach, the authors assess whether the grassroots' AIDS knowledge production model applies in other public policy issues, such as toxic exposure and women's health resarch .

Legal responsibilities of the pathologist

Pharmaceutical companies exist today in a hostile legal and regulatory environment. The threat of product liability in the pharmaceutical industry has risen to the point where it stifles research and development, especially for contraceptive and psychotropic drugs. Regulatory sanctions against the industry are more likely now than in the past since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has placed significant emphasis on regulatory inspection and enforcement. Industrial pathologists play a critical role in defending their company in product liability litigation and from regulatory sanctions. In-house and contract pathologists should be prepared to give expert testimony in court and ensure that an effective document retention policy is implemented. Pathologists should know the limits of the FDA's inspection authority and be aware of the "pitfalls" of the FDA's new Fraud Policy. In addition to keeping abreast of science, industrial pathologists today can best serve the pharmaceutical industry if they maintain an awareness of legal issues that pose a threat to the future success of the industry.