Don’t restrict funding from drug companies for doctors’ education
BMJ 2013; 347 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f6452 (Published 08 November 2013) Cite this as: BMJ 2013;347:f6452
- Neil Skolnik, professor of family and community medicine, Temple University School of Medicine; associate director, Family Medicine Residency Program, Abington Family Medicine, Abington Memorial Hospital, Abington, Pennsylvania 19046, USA
- nskolnik{at}comcast.net
“The central goal of conflicts of interest policies in medicine is to protect the integrity of professional judgment and to preserve public trust,” according to the US Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.1
Debate about potential conflicts of interest has led to proposals to stop drug companies funding continuing medical education and to diminish interactions between drug companies and doctors.2 3 4 5 6 7 8 This debate is healthy and honest—except when it ignores the fact that conflicts of interest are all around us.
Dealing with conflicts of interest is an integral part of living within a successful capitalist culture, where personal and corporate incentives are often simultaneously aligned and in conflict with societies’ needs. Conflicts of interest exist …
Log in
Log in using your username and password
Log in through your institution
Subscribe from £173 *
Subscribe and get access to all BMJ articles, and much more.
* For online subscription
Access this article for 1 day for:
£38 / $45 / €42 (excludes VAT)
You can download a PDF version for your personal record.