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The medical school at Western University and a major hospital in London, Ont., have launched a rare investigation into allegations that a pharmaceutical company exerted “undue influence” on the school’s ophthalmology department.

Western and St. Joseph’s Health Care, London, say they are treating the charges seriously but have refused to divulge specifics of the allegations, and initiated the review by an independent lawyer without any public announcement.

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An email on the matter obtained by the National Post suggested that the lawyer, Elizabeth Hewitt, was to begin meeting with eye doctors this week as part of her review.

“St. Joseph’s and Western take these allegations very seriously and have jointly appointed an outside investigator,” said Keith Marnoch, director of media relations at Western. “[We] will not be commenting further while the investigation is ongoing.”

Those of us not involved have heard that the allegations are serious but the details are being kept very private

The email obtained by the Post indicated the review by Ms. Hewitt was to look into concerns about “a pharmaceutical company and potential undue influence within the department of ophthalmology.” It did not name the company or detail the exact nature of the concerns or who had raised them.