Healthy Skepticism Library item: 2743

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: news

Cresswell A.
Doctors taste end to ban on fine dining
The Australian Newspaper 2005 Nov 7
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,17160928%255E23289,00.html

Notes:

Ralph Faggotter’s Comments:

The NSW branch of the AMA (Australian Medical Association) seems to regard the sycophantic wining and dining of doctors in expensive resturants by drug companies while they are being drip-fed with drug company propaganda, as nothing less than a natural right.

It is not surprising then that members of the public are becoming increasingly skeptical about the merits of the pills they are being recommended to take.

Full text: Doctors taste end to ban on fine dining Adam Cresswell November 07, 2005

DOCTORS sick of eating party pies and sandwiches at drug-company-funded educational meetings are sensing victory in their quest to relax a ban on lavish spreads at top eateries.

A confidential final draft of the latest version of the pharmaceutical industry’s code of conduct proposes ditching the rule that all food offered at events must be simple and modest. A reference to seafood platters as an example of extravagant food has also been removed.

Doctors say the rule — introduced three years ago after a public outcry over physicians being taken on luxury cruises and into top restaurants — has cut the number of GPs and specialists attending after-work education sessions.

The new code, which has been drawn up by the drug companies’ peak body, Medicines Australia, will go to a vote of MA members in the next few weeks.

It would replace the “simple and modest” rule with an instruction that meals at educational meetings should not be extravagant.

Deborah Monk, Medicines Australia’s director of science and technical affairs, said the changes were made to “acquiesce to doctors’ concerns” but denied the standard of food would change.

“It’s a change in the way we express the same standard,” she said.

But the president of the NSW branch of the Australian Medical Association, John Gullotta, who has campaigned for the rules to be relaxed, said the new provisions would give enough room for standards to lift.

“We don’t want doctors being bribed or taken to inappropriate restaurants,” he said. “But doctors work long hours and if they go out after surgery they expect a decent venue. A lot of them won’t go, after working a long day, to a sub-standard venue.”

Dr Gullotta said a reference in the code to seafood platters as inappropriate food would also be cut. “That was a bit silly because you can get seafood platters in the RSL for $10,” he said.

The new draft will tighten restrictions on small gifts drug companies shower on doctors to promote products. Drug giants will not be allowed to hand out golf balls, sports bags and wine coolers, which are often emblazoned with logos. The code would allow only small, work-related gifts, such as pens and notepads.