The Olivieri Report

Book excerpt: In 1996, Dr. Nancy Olivieri identified an unexpected risk associated with a drug she was testing to treat a rare blood disorder. When she moved to inform patients of this risk as required by medical ethics, the drug manufacturer, Apotex, terminated the research trial and threatened to take legal action. This was the opening salvo in a long contest involving Olivieri, Apotex, Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children, and the University of Toronto. Olivieri expected to receive support on the ethical issue from the hospital and the university, but neither institution provided effective support against ongoing legal harassment by Apotex. Intense media coverage followed the case from beginning to end. The Olivieri Report is the report of an independent inquiry--commissioned by the Canadian Association of University Teachers--into the case, conducted by three widely respected Canadian academics.