The paper was published in the January 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. It discusses the ignorance of resident (trainee) physicians and practicing doctors regarding guidelines governing their contact with drug companies. Three studies cited by the paper show that only 23% to 50% of residents were aware of these guidelines, while 62% said they were familiar with at least one. Any new policy must include a continuous awareness campaign. Reforms that are also being proposed include:
- The industry should adopt a set of standards that regulates appropriate contact and the involvement of pharmaceutical companies in medical education.
- Medical colleges need to monitor and create policies for students and residents who attend conferences sponsored by companies. They can currently accept travel scholarships from companies to attend these conferences.
- Students and residents in medical schools should be taught to critically evaluate drug marketing techniques, product claims, and other forms of advertising by the medical schools.
- Physicians must disclose any potential conflicts of interest and should be guided by their willingness to make their financial relationships, junkets, and perks public.
When the FDA relaxed its rules on direct-to-consumer ads, drug companies bought up record amounts of airtime. The March 6, 2000 issue was published to counter the pressure that patients were putting on doctors by responding to the advertisements. Health Affairs The following suggestions are made:
- Drug companies must provide clear, non-jargon product information. Both the side effects of a drug and its benefits should be treated equally.
- Physicians and medical associations need to monitor ads and ensure they are accurate and balanced. They should also inform their patients of the ads’ purpose, which is to boost sales.
- Congress should fund research on how direct-to-consumer ads impact healthcare costs and the quality of prescriptions.
Kristi Coale, a freelance journalist based in San Francisco, specializes in science and medical topics. Her work has been published in Salon Wired and The Nation.
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