Conflict of Interest in Medicine, Professional Education and Research: The times they are a changing February 9, 2010

“What was O.K. three years ago is not O.K. now.”

This recent quote by Dr. Eugene Braunwald in the New York Times highlights the fact that the landscape regarding conflicts of interest for physicians is changing rapidly and will likely continue to evolve in new and perhaps unanticipated ways. Undoubtedly, we can survive without pens and other unnecessary plastic objects emblazoned with company logos, however the changes that we are witnessing raise many questions.

Will the practice of medicine, professional education and clinical and basic research suffer adverse, long-lasting consequences from externally or internally imposed restrictions that limit physician and professional society relationships with the device and pharmaceutical industries? Will it be that the die already is cast and we will be overtaken by events and policies imposed by others outside our profession or will actions taken by us now forestall or meaningfully shape these changes? Will our professional associations take a leadership role and educate the public and our governmental officials on the benefits to society of the longstanding relationships between industry and physicians? Or will we leave it to the media or media-seeking public officials to criticize these relationships with hyperbole and embellishment, providing fodder for those who simply believe that physicians are motivated only by dollar signs? Will some of the more drastic changes and recommendations that have been proposed be imposed on us, whether we like it or not, or will we be able to adapt to a new environment so as to maintain the levels of excellence in American medicine that we and the public have come to expect? (more…)