More on pharmaceutical companies and physicians

The New York Times had an article today about an Institute of Medicine report that advises stopping the flow of gifts from pharmaceutical companies to physicians. While pharmaceutical companies have voluntarily stopped giving small gifts, such as pens and notepads, earlier this year, but the IOM report goes even further, recommending the end of industry-sponsored medical education courses. The recommendation to end industry-sponsored education courses is the most controversial, because many physicians and the companies argue that the courses provide a valuable and necessary service, to educate physicians about rapidly changing medical advances. But others warn about the dangers of bias and influence that pharmaceutical companies wield.