We teach medical students, residents and fellows evidence-based medicine to lay the groundwork for rational prescribing and good clinical judgment. But should we stop our rheumatology fellows from interacting with pharmaceutical companies as part of this foundation? It is not surprising that pharmaceutical companies can influence physician prescribing through gifts. At least, it should not…
I enjoyed reading your musings on European travel in the February TR [“Medical Renaissance”], particularly when reflecting on my own experiences as a rheumatologist in Europe, wearing two very distinctive hats. It was a rare treat to be invited to lecture at the ACR during fellowship (twice when in Mannik’s lab as a research fellow, not at all during my clinical year at The University of California, San Francisco), yet the occasions were more numerous (limited by clinic duties, attending requirements, and administrative obligation) in my years as a clinician, primarily in small group sessions with colleagues sharing clinical observations.
Rheumatologists with pharmaceutical careers discuss the path that led them to industry and the work they do
There’s no question that direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs is a huge activity, with nearly $5 billion spent on DTC ads in 2007. There’s also no question that the Internet has a vast potential to reach consumers. But when you put DTC advertising and the Internet together, there is a potential for problems and…
Transparency in industry relationships
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the most prestigious awards in the world because it recognizes individuals and organizations that promote the causes of peace and human rights. In 1991, Aung San Suu Kyi received this prize for her courageous work in advancing democracy in the Republic of Myanmar. Because of her leadership of the democracy movement in Myanmar, the military regime that governs that country has gone to great lengths to gag her. Indeed, she has been under house arrest for most of the last two decades since she received the Peace Prize. An outpouring of support for Aung San Suu Kyi and demands for her freedom by human rights advocates and Western governments have sadly been to no avail.
How the ACR manages conflict-of-interest policies
Some rheumatologists question the depth of research and the approval’s implications for patient access
A program to improve drug safety has increased drug prices for patients with gout and FMF
The ACR’s strict ethical policy guides relationships with pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers