Letters to the Editor

Ned Crabb, Letters Editor
Wall Street Journal
512 7th Ave.
6th Floor
New York, NY 10018

We read with interest the article, "Student Doctors Protest Largess of Drug Makers," (Adams, June 24) in the Journal's continuing coverage of physician-industry relations. The American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine promotes responsible interactions with the pharmaceutical industry. Our recently published two-part paper on physician industry relations highlights the need for transparency in the interaction and the subtle influences of the gift relationship inherent in many promotional practices. We discourage gifts of all sorts but particularly those that could bias or be perceived to bias clinical judgment in the care of patients. The pharmaceutical industry is, in many respects, an important partner in the patient care process. ACP-ASIM credits the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America for their recently developed Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals to ensure pharmaceutical industry professionals follow the highest ethical standards.

Our papers also emphasize the need for greater attention to the impact of promotional practices on the training environment. Students and residents in medicine often have limited incomes and extensive debt. Training program leadership needs to monitor interaction with industry to assure appropriate professional standards. We also recommend that ongoing lectures be free of commercial bias and that faculty and chief residents assigned to arranging such seminars disclose their commercial ties and adhere to national standards similar to continuing medical education to assure independent didactic content in their training programs.

William E. Golden, MD, FACP
Chair
ACP-ASIM Ethics and Human Rights Committee

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