No more free lunches

doi:10.1136/bmj.326.7400.1155

BMJ 2003;326:1155-1156 (31 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.326.7400.1155

Editorial

No more free lunches

Patients will benefit from doctors and drug companies disentangling

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Free pens and pizza lunches. Sponsored conferences and compromisedmedical education. Courtesy golf and unaffordable holidays.Thought leaders and ghost writers. These are the trappingsof doctors and drug companies being entwined in an embraceof avarice and excess, an embrace that distorts medical informationand patient care. An article in this theme issue of the BMJidentifies 16 ways in which doctors are entangled with the drug industry.¹ You can probably identify more. The issue exploresthe extent of this relationship, its effects on research, itsinfluence on prescribing, and the consequences for patients.Our central argument is that doctors, drug companies, and most importantly patients would all benefit from greater distancebetween doctors and drug companies.

It does of course take two to entangle, and we hope that nobodywill see this theme issue as anti-drug company. Virtually allof the new drugs developed in the past 60 . . . [Full text of this article]

Kamran Abbasi, deputy editor

BMJ

Richard Smith, editor

BMJ

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Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

what is the alternative: Abdullah Shehab
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Saying no to free lunch: not easy as it seems: G.N. Malavige
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the effect of seeing drug reps & influencing subsequent prescribing: Bernard Choi
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Why we need a charter: Dr Graeme T.R. Spencer
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'But it's only a free pen...': Lucy-Jane Davis
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Physicians' links with pharmaceutical companies...: David N. Andrews
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Doctors as the middlemen: Pitt O Lim
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Horses for Courses: Medwyn Williams
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I have sinned, and yet....: stephen f hayes
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Drug Lunchesh: elias E Anikwe
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Not just drugs...: Rachel Myr
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How apposite - No Free Lunch: Anne Foxley, et al.
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Enough already: Simon Wessely
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'Mea Culpa' : By Dr Joseph Obi: Joseph .C. Obi
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No Free Lunch: Sarah E Gull
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an australian viewpoint: ian c arthur
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Re: This is just the beginning!: Antony E Green
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Relationship between the Drug Industry and Doctors: Umesh PRABHU
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Science and Money Changers: David Elpern
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Spouse Scorn: Des Spence
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A hungry student's view: Ruth H Armstrong
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The bonfire of vanities: John Hopkins
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Responses to Abbasi/Smith article: Dr Deepak Malhotra
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Yes Its Possible!: Mohan Devegowda
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Re: Re: This is just the beginning!: Wiel M Maessen
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NO MORE FREE LUNCHES: Nigel Puttick
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The Cloak of Service: Nasir R. Awan
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