Healthy Skepticism Library item: 2580

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

Tenery RM Jr.
Interactions between physicians and the health care technology industry.
JAMA 2000 Jan 19; 283:(3):391-3
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/283/3/391

Abstract:

Relationships between physicians and [health care technology] industry raise concerns about whether the patient’s best interests will come into conflict with the industry’s focus on the bottom line. Industry practices become akin to manipulation, shifting the focus from providing information to providing incentives. The AMA through its Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs developed guidelines addressing gifts to physicians and industry sponsorship of CME activities. Initially the response was gratifying. However, many of the troubling practices have returned. The need for CME has increased. Funding from independent sources has decreased. Funding from industry has become essential. Increased demand has led to increasing influence and attempts at control. The blame cannot be placed completely on the pharmaceutical industry. Routine purchasing of meals is a recent example of physician-driven problems. In this issue of the Journal the article by Wazana brings to light the glaring lack of adequate guidelines. A proposal has been put to convene a task force to provide more detailed guidelines. Participants would have to deal with the ethical precept of conflict of interest and with full disclosure of these. The medical profession and the health care technology industry have the same obligations to ensure that developed standards are properly enforced.

Keywords:
*analysis United States Conflict of Interest* Drug Industry* Education, Medical, Continuing*/economics Financial Support Gift Giving Information Dissemination Interprofessional Relations* Physicians* United States