Healthy Skepticism Library item: 6028

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

Guyatt G.
Interacting with the pharmaceutical industry
Canadian Medical Association Journal 1994; 151:732

Abstract:

Dr. Greenwald and the trainees who he spoke to appear not to have read the article since it describes how the residents participated in the development of the guidelines and endorsed them. Dr. Stopps letter addresses drug company funding of research which is a topic that was not addressed in the guidelines. All three letter raise questions of what ethical approaches should be inculcated in young physicians. The guidelines at McMaster suggest that physicians in training should be encouraged not to accept bribes. This approach strikes all three letter writers as one that either does not teach residents how to interact ethically with industry representatives or in unworkable in the real world. This attitude underestimates young doctors potential for living without industry handouts. Finally, there are many unbiased sources where doctors can obtain information about drugs.

Keywords:
*letter to the editor/Canada/ attitude toward industry/ drug company sponsored research/ guidelines, discussion of/ relationship between physicians in training and industry/ McMaster University/ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: HEALTH PROFESSIONALS/EDUCATING ABOUT PROMOTION: PHYSICIANS IN TRAINING/ETHICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTION: LINKS BETWEEN HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND INDUSTRY/REGULATION, CODES, GUIDELINES: CONTACT WITH MEDICAL STUDENTS AND HOSPITAL STAFF