Study: Med school pharma limits affect attitudes

Of late, academic medical centers have been instituting tough limits on pharmaceutical companies' relationship with their faculty and staff. On their face, the policies seem to be aimed primarily at insulating working physicians from pressure to buy new, costly drugs. However, it seems that such policies have a secondary effect as well. A new study published in the journal Pediatrics suggests that when medical schools and teaching hospitals limit on pharma access to med students and residents, the students and residents end up with different attitudes about pharma interaction than their peers.

The study, which reviewed 12 other studies published over the past 16 years, found that imposing even minimal limits tended to produce doctors who were more skeptical about product information coming from drug reps. Requiring even a single hour of pharma-related training had a measurable effect on doctor-pharma relationships as well. Not surprisingly, however, the effect of imposing pharma limits was greatest when med schools banned all contact between students and residents.

To learn more about the study:
- read this Modern Healthcare article 

Related Articles:
Doctors weigh in on pros and cons of accepting drug/device freebies. Letters
Psychiatrists getting largest pharma gifts. Report
NY bill would require pharmas to report MD gifts. Report
Study: Drug, devicemaker ties with academic medical centers common. Report
Groups plan to fight for limits on pharma-doctor ties. Report
UC Davis mulls pharma freebies ban. Report
Henry Ford bans pharma perks, vendor drop-ins. Report
MDs debate whether accepting giveaways is unethical. Editorial
UConn considers pharma gift ban. Report