printable version2006 IN REVIEW: Big Pharma told to stop influence peddling at medical center
BY RUTHANN RICHTER
Philip Pizzo
The era of the free lunch appears to be nearing its end, as several leading academic medical centers, including Stanford, moved to enact new policies to ensure that the pharmaceutical industry is not influencing medical decisions by giving free meals, gifts and other perks to doctors and scientists.
In September, Stanford medical center announced its new policy that bans all gifts from sales reps to physicians; eliminates industry funding of meals at many medical center events, and restricts visits to the medical center by company representatives.
The policy is modeled in part after one approved in 2005 by the Yale Medical Group. The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, among others, approved guidelines this year for interactions with the pharmaceutical industry. But Stanford's policy is broader than those of its counterparts in that it not only regulates the pharmaceutical industry, but also the device, biotech, hospital and research equipment and supply industries, throughout the medical center.
"It is essential that medical professionals and scientists reclaim the moral high ground and avoid the appearances of conflict of interest that can otherwise cloud or alter the trust of the American public," said Philip Pizzo, MD, dean of the School of Medicine.
Response to the new policy, which went into effect Oct. 1, has been "overwhelmingly positive," said Kathy Gillam, the dean's senior advisor and leader of the policy implementation group. Although some people had complained about the ban on free drug samples to physicians—they said that the perk benefited patients who couldn't otherwise afford them—the new policy allows pharmaceutical firms to give drug samples directly to pharmacies at the two hospitals, which can distribute them to clinics for needy patients.
The policy also prohibits companies from paying for meals for faculty and trainees except under strict guidelines. In the past, industry had paid directly for food at lunchtime educational programs, typically pizza or sandwiches, for interns and residents; sales and marketing representatives were often present. Now such funding from companies must come as unrestricted gifts to the departments, and the sales and marketing representatives generally no longer attend. To make up for lost funds, the school is looking at new approaches for raising money to support its educational programs.