Healthy Skepticism Library item: 30

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

Coyle SL.
Physician-industry relations. Part 1: individual physicians
Ann Intern Med 2002; 136:396-401
http://www.annals.org/cgi/reprint/136/5/396.pdf

Abstract:

This is part 1 of a 2-part paper on ethics and physician industry
relationships. Part 1 offers advice to individual physicians; part 2
gives recommendations to medical education providers and medical
professional societies. Physicians and industry have a shared interest in advancing medical knowledge. Nonetheless, the primary ethic of the physician is to promote the patient’s best interests, while the primary
ethic of industry is to promote profitability. Although partnerships
between physicians and industry can result in impressive medical
advances, they also create opportunities for bias and can result in
unfavorable public perceptions. Many physicians and physicians-in-training think they are impervious to commercial influence. However, recent studies show that accepting industry hospitality and gifts, even drug samples, can compromise judgment about medical information and
subsequent decisions about patient care. It is up to the physician to judge whether a gift is acceptable. A very general guideline is that it is ethical to accept modest gifts that advance medical practice. It is clearly unethical to accept gifts or services that obligate the physician to reciprocate. Conflicts of interest can arise from other financial ties between physicians and industry, whether to outside companies or
self-owned businesses. Such ties include honorariums for speaking
or writing about a company’s product, payment for participating
in clinic-based research, and referrals to medical resources. All
of these relationships have the potential to influence a physician’s
attitudes and practices. This paper explores the ethical quandaries
involved and offers guidelines for ethical business relationships.

Keywords:
*policy statement & guideline United States American College of Physicians relationship between medical profession and industry regulation of promotion ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: LINKS BETWEEN HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND INDUSTRY REGULATION, CODES, GUIDELINES: HEALTH PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Notes:

ProCite field⁵: Policy statement & guideline
ProCite field³⁸: www.annals.org/issues/v136n5/pdf/200203050-00014.pdf