Virginia Governor McDonnell pressured UV and VCU to do work for Star Scientific and use state workers as human subjects

There has been a lot of coverage of the federal indictment of former Virginia governor Robert McDonnell and his wife Maureen for accepting bribes from Star Scientific, which makes two anatabine-based dietary supplements: CigRx®, a tobacco alternative; and Anatabloc®, for anti-inflammatory support.  The media attention has been focused on "gifts" of use of a house, Ferrari, paying for a wedding dress, and a Rolex watch.
 
What has got less attention is that the thing that Star Scientific wanted was for scientists at two state universities, University of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University, to do studies designed to prove that Anatabloc was beneficial.  Moreover, to hide Star's role as a sponsor and to save the company from paying for the research, Star (and  Gov McDonnell) wanted the state's Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission (which provides grants for the promotion of economic growth and development in tobacco dependent communities using proceeds of the Master Settlement Agreement) to pay for the studies.
 
Star also wanted state employees to serve as research subjects.
 
The indictment makes it sound like UV and VCU officials -- as well as the state health department -- did everything they could to resist the pressure and that the study never happened.
 
This amazing story is worth a read.  I've highlighted the parts related to the research project.