Medical Centers Continue to Limit Gifts to Physicians
BY ARIELLA P. GOLOMB, MD, SEPTEMBER 12, 2006
Today's New York Times reported that Stanford University has followed the University of Pennsylvania and Yale by putting in place a new policy that would prohibit its physicians from accepting small gifts (like pens and mugs) and free drug samples as well as publishing articles in journals that were ghostwritten by industry contractors. It also bars company representatives from patient treatment and physician education areas. This policy is not limited to pharmaceutical companies - it applies to medical device and other companies as well.
The policy does not apply to product development consulting agreements between faculty and companies (these are currently covered by a conflict-of-interest policy.) Today's article reported that more than one third of Stanford Medical School's leadership had some financial interest related to their research.
It is important that medical centers not overlook the role sales representavies play, especially in the medical device industry. Many surgeons have come to rely on the service they provide during procedures.
For more information, see an ealier blog we wrote on sales representatives' accountability for safety or our orthopedic industry report, Devices, Distribution and Dollars, Orthopedic Sales Backgrounder and Distribution Model Comparison.
