More med centers saying no to pharma freebies
Kids this time of year may be chanting “no more pencils, no more books,” but so will physicians at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, which recently decided to ban even the smallest of gifts from pharmaceutical sales reps to its physicians, according to this article from Boston.com. From the article:
- Freebies as piddling as pens and notepads — typically festooned with the brand names of expensive new drugs — will be forbidden starting July 1. So will the free pizzas and catered meals that drug reps, or “detailers,” often bring along when marketing their products. New rules are also being imposed on donations and endowments.
“Favor is not just being curried with the physicians, there’s shmoozing with the staff as well,” said Dr. Patrick J. Brennan, Penn health system’s chief medical officer. “It’s become part of the culture, but we’re attempting to set a different tone.”
