BMJ  2008;336:962 (26 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.39556.557234.94

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Starting Out

Why I love a free lunch

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

Who’s ever heard of ivabradine? Who even knows how to pronounce it?

In a nutshell it’s a newish negatively chronotropic drug used to manage stable angina in patients who don’t tolerate ß blockers. I certainly had never heard of it until a leaflet was handed to me by a smiling drug company representative at a sponsored lunch before a hospital grand round.

I know it’s not politically correct to say this, but I quite enjoy a free lunch, especially when it comes from Marks & Spencer. Judging by the number of staff members rapidly devouring the sandwiches and smoothies, they seemed to as well. It certainly beats the grease and salt laden offerings the hospital offers intermittently to its workers. Organic salmon and rocket rolls win every time over deep fried chicken drumsticks and sandwiches of uncertain age and provenance.

Now, I know that had I been a decent doctor . . . [Full text of this article]

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This article has been cited by other articles:

• Sie, A. H (2008). You must be joking. BMJ 336: 1034-1034 [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

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Why we did away with the free lunch

Mick A Leach
bmj.com, 25 Apr 2008 [Full text]

Free lunches are not the answer

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bmj.com, 26 Apr 2008 [Full text]

In Defence of "Free" Lunches

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Junior Doctor's Salary and CPD

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Free lunch - shurely shome mistake

Jack Beattie
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Not so angry from Glasgow

Des Spence
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that McEnroe moment

Clare E Wilkie
bmj.com, 27 Apr 2008 [Full text]

Free Lunch

Suresh Kumar Pathak
bmj.com, 28 Apr 2008 [Full text]

Let's get the message right. Intellectual and not Gastronomical indulgence!

Osborn A. Viegas, et al.
bmj.com, 28 Apr 2008 [Full text]

Hungering for answers

Anna Shore
bmj.com, 28 Apr 2008 [Full text]

You must be joking

Adrian H Sie
bmj.com, 29 Apr 2008 [Full text]

The Ethical Price (to physicians and patients) of Promotional Lunches

Anthony N Fleg
bmj.com, 1 May 2008 [Full text]

Free Stuff? Yes, Please.

Annemarie Jutel
bmj.com, 1 May 2008 [Full text]

There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch

Jim C Moonie
bmj.com, 1 May 2008 [Full text]

Who sups with the devil must needs a long spoon

Roger K.A. . Allen
bmj.com, 1 May 2008 [Full text]

Lunch Free for whom?

Muthukrishnan Jayaraman, et al.
bmj.com, 1 May 2008 [Full text]

not simple, is it?

Declan P Fox
bmj.com, 1 May 2008 [Full text]

What about the NPC?

Peter D Burrill
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Lunch from a high horse?

John A Wilson
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Best interests and vested interests: the NHS, medical education, and drug information

Patricia McGettigan
bmj.com, 30 May 2008 [Full text]