Healthy Skepticism Library item: 8659

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

Tanne JH.
US campaign aims to end industry gifts, speaking fees, and travel for doctors
BMJ 2007 Feb 24; 334:(7590):385
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/334/7590/385-a

Abstract:

A new campaign will urge US doctors, academic medical centres, medical societies, and other healthcare organisations to work together to end the conflicts of interests that result from ties to companies that make drugs and medical devices.

The campaign is funded by a two year, $6m (£3.1m; 4.6m) grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts. It will be organised by The Prescription Project, a new group working with Community Catalyst, a Boston healthcare advocacy group, and the Institute on Medicine as a Profession at Columbia University in New York (www.pewtrusts.com).

The campaign was sparked by an article last year in JAMA (2006;295:429-33), in which leading academics said, “More stringent regulation is necessary, including the elimination or modification of common practices related to small gifts, pharmaceutical samples, continuing medical education, funds for physician travel, speakers bureaus, ghostwriting, and consulting and research contracts.

“We propose a policy under which academic medical . . .