Wisconsin Medical Society Bans Pharma Gifts
8 CommentsBy Ed Silverman // October 18th, 2008 // 10:21 pm
The doctors’ group, which boasts 12,000 members, has joined a growing number of academic medical centers, professional societies and legislators that have decided gifts from the pharmaceutical industry are questionable, if not unacceptable forms of influence.
The Wisconsin Medical Society adopted a policy on October 11 that says: “Physicians shall accept no gifts from any provider of products that they prescribe to their patients such as personal items, office supplies, food, travel and time costs, or payment for participation in online continuing medical education. A complete ban eases the burdens of compliance, biased decision making, and patient distrust.” This is the complete policy, which was disclosed this past Thursday.
In a statement, WMS president Steven Bergin says: “This policy is strong and clear. It leaves no doubt that the society’s physicians want to prevent even the impression that a gift–no matter how small–could get in the way of a physician’s decision-making.
“This policy simply puts the Wisconsin Medical Society on record that individual physicians should take a bright line approach to accepting items from companies that make products or drugs that the physician might end up prescribing or recommending to his or her patients. There’s nothing more sacred than the physician-patient relationship, and we physicians have the responsibility to make sure nothing gets in the way of that relationship–or even appears to get in the way.”
Mark McConnell
I’m very pleased that Wisconsin (a) recognizes that marketing does affect prescribing and (b) is willing to make a move that is unpopular with many physicians to do something about it.
Pharma Newbie
Why not go all the way and ban insurance scorecards to physicians which pay them to prescribe sub-optimal therapy. It’s a joke anyone who understands the industry knows where the problem lies. Do a prior auth and you will see how little insurance companies care for a patient.
JR Hoffman
Congratulations for taking such a brave, and wise, stand.
John Downey
This sounds like a great start, and kudos for Wisconsin Medical Society for doing this. However, this only covers “gifts” and says nothing about payments for giving talks, participating in studies or what ever else doctors do to get money from pharma.
I won’t be spending the time needed to study their new policy, but my concern is this: what are the loopholes, work-arounds and uncovered areas that pharma can drive their money-truck through?
PaulGGG
Another stupid, wasted, superfluous policy.
The PhRMA code that almost every company has now adopted already has all this. Except for the short-sighted policy Wisconsin has put forward of not allowing Wisconsin doctors to teach in medical education organized by companies. Basically a restriction on freedom of speech.
If you read this policy, it reads more like a mini philosophy dissertation than anything else.
Justice in MI
I happened to be in a doc’s office the other day that had just heard there would be no more gifts from reps (a new policy at this center).
What I mainly noticed was the despair of the office staff. There was, indeed, wailing about actually having to buy pens, notepads, and clipboards.
Scandalous.
Pat T
So….
Wisconsin physicians are influenced by a cheap pen and/or a sub sandwich….!
Doesn’t say much for the thinking ability and quality of Wisconsin physicians, does it!
jsc
1 to think doctors are driven to prescribe by a pen and food what a joke!
2 the policy states that you may not interact with the companies but make sure to take the money to help your hospital or school
3 what ever happened to free trade in america? the ability to interact and market any product.
4 do you understand the amount of free drug given away every year and how you are hurting patient how need the samples.
5 on that note how much the pharma industrie supports medical colleges and hospitals because the government money is not there nor are insurance companies paying even enough to cover cost.
6 good luck to the communist in shutting out industry. go to canida or mexico for your health care.
man i could go on….