Healthy Skepticism Library item: 11804

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Tanne JH.
Financial ties common between US medical schools and drug companies
BMJ 2007 Oct 20; 335:(7624):793
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/short/335/7624/793-b?etoc

Abstract:

Most US medical schools and large teaching hospitals have financial ties to drug companies, according to a survey published this week (JAMA 2007;298:1779-86).

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and the Association of American Medical Colleges surveyed all 125 US medical schools and 15 large teaching hospitals, which often do more research than many medical schools. They asked the heads of the medicine and psychiatry departments about ties to drug companies because these departments are often large and likely to have industry funding for education. They also surveyed the head of the microbiology department and one other non-clinical department.

They found that 60% of departmental heads had a financial relationship with a drug company as a consultant, member of a scientific advisory board, a paid speaker, an officer, a founder, or a member of the board of directors.

Two thirds of . . .