Pharmaceutical Promotions — A Free Lunch?

Abstract

Some time ago it came to the attention of our Pharmacy and\nTherapeutics Committee that some faculty members were sponsoring drug\nfairs....Since this activity seemed somewhat out of line with earlier views of\nthe Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, a task force was set up to look into\nthe issues that arise in the general context of a drug fair. It was decided\nas well to look more generally at the interactions between faculty members and\nthe drug industry. At the outset of the task force's deliberations it became\nquite clear that there was a tremendous spread of opinion about the\nrelationship between physicians and the drug industry. We all agreed that\ndrug fairs should be proscribed. But then we considered activities that\nshould be permitted, but with strings attached. Here I began to differ from my\ncolleagues. After I had indicted the general nature of my position it became\nclear that we would not be able to proceed at all unless I wrote a minority\nreport....This is the substance of my report....