The somewhat ambiguous interaction between medical students and the pharmaceutical industry is a highly controversial issue.
As a relatively new medical school with minimal previous exposure to pharmaceutical companies (but being fully aware of the with potential exposure our graduates may experience in their future careers), the 2007 JCUMSA Exec think it is time to take on the responsibility to educate our members about this topical issue. As part of this initiative, we?re inviting you to tell us what you think?
What do you think about the interaction between medical students and the pharmaceutical industry?
Do you feel such interactions are beneficial for education purposes or do you feel that these could be detrimental to patient care?
Could a drug company free lunch influence your prescribing behaviour? Do you think that you may be free from the influences of free lunches since you can?t prescribe yet? Is there such thing as a free lunch?
Do you believe you are adequately informed to comment on this issue?
So what are your thoughts?
Alex Hofer
Year 4 Medicine
Sponsorship Officer 2007
sponsorship@jcumsa.org.auCheck out these articles for some food for thought!! Financial Indigestion [A Piece of My Mind] Kassirer, Jerome P. MD
JAMA. Volume 284(17), 1 November 2000, pp 2156-2157
http://gateway.ut.ovid.com.elibrary.jcu.edu.au/gw1/ovidweb.cgi The Sugar-Coated Pill Ray Moynihan, Sydney, 2005
http://www.amsa.org.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24 AMA Media Release: ACCC Falls for Media Beat-Up On Pharmaceutical Education26 July 2006
http://www.ama.com.au/web.nsf/doc/WEEN-6S3CAY AMA Victoria position: Relationship with pharmaceutical companies10 Aug 2006
http://www.amavic.com.au/page/About_Us/AMA_Agenda/Current_Issues/AMA_Victoria_position_Relationship_with_pharmaceutical_companies/Doctors behaving badly? Martin H N Tattersall and Ian H Kerridge
MJA Aug 2006; 185 (6): 299-300
http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/185_06_180906/tat10926_fm.html The ethics of pharmaceutical industry relationships with medical students Rogers WA, Mansfield PR, Braunack-Mayer AJ & Jureidini JN.
MJA 2004; 180: 411-414
http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/180_08_190404/rog10715_fm.htmlMedical students? exposure to and attitudes about drug company interactionsSierles FS, Brodkey AC, Cleary LM, McCurdy FA, Mintz M, Frank J, et al.
JAMA 2005; 294: 1034-1042.
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/294/9/1034?maxtoshow
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