No, I'm not speaking in a metaphorical sense. I'm speaking of free trinkets like coffee mugs, notepads, clipboards, and yes, pens, that pharmaceutical companies shower on physicians. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the trade association for pharmaceutical companies, has issued a new code of conduct for pharmaceutical companies discouraging companies from giving such trinkets to physicians and prescribers. The concern is that such gifts encourage over-prescribing or inappropriate prescribing of heavily advertised drugs, where older generics would suffice.
Some advocates are lauding this move, but others don't think it goes far enough. The guidelines say nothing about the large amount of money spent on consulting arrangements and speakers fees paid to physicians to advocate for a new drug. The guidelines take away the influences that patients see but do not address the pharmaceutical influences on physicians that patients do not see.
You can find a couple of articles here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/10/business/10code.html?ex=1373428800&en=344e999790b6717d&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink and here: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/11/for-doctors-no-more-drug-company-trinkets/
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