Dr. Lisa Bero, External Conflict of Interest Advisor for Health Canada’s Nutrition Science Advisory Committee (NSAC)

Biography

Lisa Bero, BS (Hon), PhD is Professor of Medicine and Public Health, and Chief Scientist, Center for Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center. From 2014 – 2020, Professor Bero led the Evidence, Policy and Influence Collaborative Research Group with nodes on Bias, Evidence Synthesis and Pharmaceutical Policy at the Charles Perkins Centre, the University of Sydney. She is Senior Editor, Research Integrity for the Cochrane Collaboration. She is also Public Health and Health System Network Senior Editor and was Co-Chair of the Cochrane Governing Board 2014-18. Professor Bero has over 25 years of experience providing international leadership for multidisciplinary teams that specialize in studying the quality, use and implementation of research for health and health policy.

Professor Bero has developed and validated qualitative and quantitative methods for assessing bias in the design, conduct and dissemination of research on pharmaceuticals, as well as tobacco, food and chemicals. She has pioneered the utilization of internal industry documents and transparency databases to understand corporate tactics and motives for influencing research evidence. Her translational activities focus on the development of policy solutions, such as a Pharmaceutical Policy Network, developing and implementing conflict of interest and other research integrity policies for national and intergovernmental organizations, and conducting workshops for consumers, journalists and policy makers on using evidence in decisions.

Professor Bero is a prolific author of academic articles, with a focus on research integrity topics, including measuring problems with research integrity (methods issues, conflicts of interest, “spin”), testing methods to improve research integrity (training, policy development), and assessing how research is used or cited (in policy, media or scientific literature). Most of her papers appearing in top journals such as JAMA, BMJ, and PLoS Medicine, as well as law, political science and policy journals. All of her publications are co-authored with multidisciplinary teams that have included sociologists, epidemiologists, statisticians, clinical and public health practitioners, public health and basic science researchers. Professor Bero’s work is cited not only in the scientific literature, but in influential normative documents, such as WHO and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Centre (NHMRC)’s Guideline for Guidelines and The Cochrane Handbook. She is internationally recognized for her work on evidence synthesis, bias, conflicts of interest and use of evidence in decisions as shown by media coverage, speaking invitations and service on international committees.

Summary of Affiliations and Interests

Professor, School of Medicine and Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado
Chief Scientist, Center for Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center.
Senior Editor, Research Integrity and Public Health and Health System Network for the Cochrane Collaboration.
Rammazini Institute Fellow

Prior to joining the University of Colorado in 2020, Professor Bero led the Evidence, Policy and Influence Collaborative Research Group with nodes on Bias, Evidence Synthesis and Pharmaceutical Policy at the Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney. She was Co-Chair of the Cochrane Governing Board 2014-18. The University of Colorado receives remuneration for her work as a Cochrane Senior Editor.

Professor Bero has over 25 years of experience providing international leadership for multidisciplinary teams that specialize in studying the quality, use and implementation of research for health and health policy. Professor Bero uses qualitative and quantitative methods to assess bias in the design, conduct and dissemination of research on pharmaceuticals, as well as tobacco, food and chemicals. She is the principle investigator on an NHMRC grant aimed at improving methods for public health guidelines. She has published over 250 peer-reviewed articles and mentored over 35 postgraduate researchers. Her translational activities focus on the development of policy solutions, such as developing and implementing conflict of interest and research integrity policies for national and intergovernmental organizations, and conducting workshops for consumers, journalists and policy makers on using evidence in decisions. Professor Bero’s work is cited not only in the scientific literature, but in influential normative documents, such as WHO and NHMRC Guidelines for Guidelines and The Cochrane Handbook. She is internationally recognized for her work on evidence synthesis, bias, conflicts of interest and use of evidence in decisions as shown by media coverage, speaking invitations and service on international committees.