Healthy Skepticism Library item: 20053

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: Magazine

Ferguson H
AMA views erode trust in doctors
Australian Doctor 2006 Oct 616

Full text:

The AMA is contributing to erosion of public trust in the medical profession by claiming doctors have the right to enjoy lavish events hosted by pharmaceutical companies, says a leading ethicist.

Medical ethicist Associate Professor Ian Kerridge said claims by AMA president Dr Mukesh Haikerwal that “no patient harm” came from company-sponsored events were out-of-step with evidence showing events could influence doctor’s prescribing habits.

Dr Haikerwal publicly criticised the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s changes to the Medicines Australia code of conduct to require companies to publicly disclose details of all events they hold for doctors.

He claimed the ACCC had fallen for the media “beat up” over an alleged $65,000 dinner at an exclusive restaurant, hosted by Roche for more than 200 cancer specialists,

Professor Kerridge, who co-authored a recent Medical Journal of Australia editorial supporting the ACCC’s plan, said the AMA comments would “absolutely” reduce public trust in the medical profession.

“They are doing a serious disservice to the profession by claiming it is a birthright to accept perks from the industry. It seemed knee-jerk, it seemed popularist and it seemed the AMA was unaware of the evidence”, he said.

However, AMA president Dr Mukesh Haikerwal defended his earlier comments, saying most people understood how business worked and there was “no real sense of drama”.

“There has got to be some sort of relationship with the industry and it has to be clear”, Dr Haikerwal said.

The AMA had not received any complaints from doctors about its stance on pharmaceutical company-sponsored education events, he said.

“They don’t give a stuff”.