Exclusive: 'Science for Sale' Probe Deepens

Lawmakers say firm crowed of its success in keeping harmful drug on the market.

ByABC News
March 11, 2008, 9:43 AM

March 11, 2008— -- A scientific consulting firm once crowed of its success in delaying the cancellation of a harmful drug by 10 years, congressional investigators say.

Lawmakers have more tough questions for the D.C.-based Weinberg Group, which has been accused of "manufacturing uncertainty" about research to benefit its corporate clients and their products.

Last month, Congress opened an investigation into the firm's activities they allege generated uncertainty over a dangerous chemical in plastic bottles. Now, investigators for the House Energy and Commerce Committee say they have obtained deleted pages from the Weinberg Group's Web site where the firm took credit for delaying the cancellation of a harmful drug for nearly a decade at the request of two pharmaceutical clients, and other industry victories.

The firm's efforts "led to an extensive process" and eventually "10 additional years of sales prior to the ultimate cancellation of the drug," according to a printout of the page provided to ABC News by the committee.

In a March 6 letter, the committee asked Weinberg to turn over documents naming that drug, its manufacturers and the experts it involved in allegedly keeping the drug on sale. It also asked for documents and information on 10 other case studies formerly featured on the firm's Web site.