12 | 4 | 2007 Posted By Regan Zambri & Long

Medical Schools Influence the Way Physicians Interact with Drug Companies: New Study

Pharmaceutical companies spend an average of $21 billion per year advertising prescription drugs, and most of that is directed at physicians, physicians-in-training and medical students.  Whether medical schools facilitate or discourage their students' exposure to pharmaceutical advertising significantly impacts the way physicians will later view drug companies, according to a new study published in the Journal Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

According to the article, well-designed seminars, role playing and focused curricula can affect medical student and resident attitudes and behavior toward pharmaceutical companies.

The researchers utilized data from 12 studies conducted since 1991, which focused on the efforts of academic medical centers to modify the professional relationships between drug companies and medical students and residents.  By and large, the data suggests that the greatest impact medical schools can have on the interaction of students with pharmaceutical representatives is to ban all contact with pharmaceutical companies.  Even forcing medical students to attend one hour of training related to drug company advertising produces a measurable impact on their relationships, however.

According to researchers, policy decisions to restrict contact between medical trainees and the pharmaceutical industry are associated with greater skepticism toward information given by drug company product representatives and altered behavior in future contact with drug company representatives.

Previously on the DC Metro Area Medical Malpractice Law Blog, we have posted articles related to:

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