Krimsky goes on to claim that if a scientist feels compelled to join a board, he or she must agree "never to take any government- funded research projects that are directly related to any work in the company." In fact, some National Institutes of Health research is funded in small companies.
Krimsky's concerns seem embedded in the belief that once in contact with a commercial firm, all scientists become dishonest and incapable of any impartial action.
I believe it is precisely because of researchers' objectivity and ability to evaluate science in an increasingly complex and technologically driven world that their expertise not only is required on boards, but also is almost a necessity to protect the investment required to bring the benefits of discovery from the laboratory to the public. As with any other human endeavor, it is not a perfect world. Nobel laureates are sometimes used as "window dressing," ...
