Healthy Skepticism Library item: 15591

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

Kamerow D.
Yankee Doodling: No gifts, please, we’re doctors
BMJ. 2009 May 7; 338:
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/338/may07_1/b1835

Abstract:

When I began medical school in 1974 I was a fanatic about drug industry gifts to students. The drug companies gave us all manner of tools for doctors-reflex hammers, stethoscopes, the works, nicely branded with their logos-and I was one of the few who rejected them all. In particular I remember a set of beautifully illustrated books on anatomy, or maybe it was histology, that were actually required texts for one of our courses. I couldn’t believe that the school would allow what I considered advertising into the curriculum.

Time passed, and I became less and less vigilant. By the time I was a resident I was enjoying pizza parties sponsored by the “detail men.” As a young GP I was happy to prowl the exhibits at meetings and pick up the ever more impressive gifts to be had for listening to a pitch for their latest blockbuster: a computer . . .