BMJ  2008;336:416-417 (23 February), doi:10.1136/bmj.39496.430336.DB

Feature

Doctors’ education: the invisible influence of drug company sponsorship

As calls to end drug companies’ direct sponsorship of doctors’ education echo round the world, an investigation in Australia reveals sponsor involvement in the education of thousands of general practitioners, writes Ray Moynihan

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

We’ve all been there—the educational seminars, the medical symposiums, and the scientific conferences generously sponsored by big drug companies. The visible signs of sponsorship at these events are obvious: the smiling drug company representatives, the colourful company logos, and the high tech stalls in the exhibit halls. But what about inside lecture theatres, where high quality education is delivered to doctors by respected speakers? Surely the sponsors have no input into those sacred places of independent education?

It seems that invisible influence may be flowing through these sponsored seminars—even those accredited by august associations—far more often than many of us realise. In a rare look behind the scenes of sponsored medical education, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Background Briefing programme (www.abc.net.au/rn/backgroundbriefing/) will this weekend show that it is not uncommon for drug company sponsors to suggest speakers at sessions that are assumed by the thousands of general practitioners who . . . [Full text of this article]

Doctors in the dark about sponsorship?

Industry suggestions are "filtered"

Sponsors suggesting speakers is "not unusual"

Disclosure or disentanglement?

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

Related Articles

Australian drug industry gives details of money spent courting doctors

Bob Burton
BMJ 2008 336: 742. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Conflicts are everywhere

Hari Singh
BMJ 2008 336: 522. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Sponsored medical tourism

Peter C Arnold
BMJ 2008 336: 522. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Singh, H. (2008). Conflicts are everywhere. BMJ 336: 522-522 [Full text]  
• Arnold, P. C (2008). Sponsored medical tourism. BMJ 336: 522-522 [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Transparency works both ways

Adam Jacobs
bmj.com, 22 Feb 2008 [Full text]

Internet is Best

Bernard C Boyd
bmj.com, 23 Feb 2008 [Full text]

And Who's Doing the Studies?

Joseph More
bmj.com, 23 Feb 2008 [Full text]

Another perspective

Aitzaz Bin Sultan Rai, et al.
bmj.com, 23 Feb 2008 [Full text]

Transparency works both ways

Alan K. Cassels
bmj.com, 24 Feb 2008 [Full text]

Pharmaceutical Industry’s visible influence on doctor’s education: No free lunch

Imran Mushtaq, et al.
bmj.com, 24 Feb 2008 [Full text]

Who Pays for the Lunch?

Aitzaz Bin Sultan Rai, et al.
bmj.com, 24 Feb 2008 [Full text]

Sponsored medical tourism

Peter C Arnold
bmj.com, 24 Feb 2008 [Full text]

A need to be vigilant

Allison CY Tso
bmj.com, 25 Feb 2008 [Full text]

Doctors are not victims - and conflicts are everywhere

Hari Singh
bmj.com, 26 Feb 2008 [Full text]

Doctors and drug industry : Cruising along , in a lifetime illicit relationship

venkatesan sangareddi
bmj.com, 26 Feb 2008 [Full text]

It is our responsibility

Dr. Rajesh M. Buddhadev, et al.
bmj.com, 26 Feb 2008 [Full text]

Does a doctor go hungry if no "free lunch" is available?

Eugene Pozniak
bmj.com, 26 Feb 2008 [Full text]

Managing the Risk of Influence: Train in partnership working

Peter H L Aitken
bmj.com, 27 Feb 2008 [Full text]

Training budget cut but CPD points required, how to balanace the books?

Sudip Sikdar
bmj.com, 28 Feb 2008 [Full text]

Useless trials and disclosures to patients

Anthony Papagiannis
bmj.com, 28 Feb 2008 [Full text]

free lunches

dr vikram vinayek
bmj.com, 28 Feb 2008 [Full text]

Is it immoral for an academician to work with the pharmaceutical industry?

Hari Prasad
bmj.com, 1 Mar 2008 [Full text]

Sponsorship of doctors’ education? No thanks!

Luisella Grandori
bmj.com, 1 Mar 2008 [Full text]

An insidious disease

Deborah H Yates, et al.
bmj.com, 1 Mar 2008 [Full text]

In the USA, Certified CME is different

Marty Cearnal, et al.
bmj.com, 10 Mar 2008 [Full text]

Visible influence: the simple truth behind industry "education"

Anthony N Fleg
bmj.com, 12 Mar 2008 [Full text]

The "(Un) Holy Nexus- Who to blame?

Manthan D. Janodia, et al.
bmj.com, 13 Mar 2008 [Full text]