Mmm, Smells Like Conflict of Interest

Keith Robison has a new blog post about the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council's latest round of publicity. The industry organization just hired Robert Coughlin, former aide to Governor Deval Patrick, as its new president -- replacing Tom Finneran, whom Robison describes as "ethically challenged." Sadly, the new guy already's lost his luster, as reports emerged that Coughlin was actively working on the state's life science initiatives while he was interviewing for the post at MBC. Robison writes, "Many more shenanigans like this & biotech will be viewed as just another big business playing the corrupt political gain for private benefit at public expense."