A national survey of physician-industry relationships.
(17/92)
BACKGROUND: Relationships between physicians and pharmaceutical, medical device, and other medically related industries have received considerable attention in recent years. We surveyed physicians to collect information about their financial associations with industry and the factors that predict those associations. METHODS: We conducted a national survey of 3167 physicians in six specialties (anesthesiology, cardiology, family practice, general surgery, internal medicine, and pediatrics) in late 2003 and early 2004. The raw response rate for this probability sample was 52%, and the weighted response rate was 58%. RESULTS: Most physicians (94%) reported some type of relationship with the pharmaceutical industry, and most of these relationships involved receiving food in the workplace (83%) or receiving drug samples (78%). More than one third of the respondents (35%) received reimbursement for costs associated with professional meetings or continuing medical education, and more than one quarter (28%) received payments for consulting, giving lectures, or enrolling patients in trials. Cardiologists were more than twice as likely as family practitioners to receive payments. Family practitioners met more frequently with industry representatives than did physicians in other specialties, and physicians in solo, two-person, or group practices met more frequently with industry representatives than did physicians practicing in hospitals and clinics. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this national survey indicate that relationships between physicians and industry are common and underscore the variation among such relationships according to specialty, practice type, and professional activities. (+info)
Physicians' intent to comply with the American Medical Association's guidelines on gifts from the pharmaceutical industry.
(18/92)
OBJECTIVE: To identify factors that predict physicians' intent to comply with the American Medical Association's (AMA's) ethical guidelines on gifts from the pharmaceutical industry. METHODS: A survey was designed and mailed in June 2004 to a random sample of 850 physicians in Florida, USA, excluding physicians with inactive licences, incomplete addresses, addresses in other states and pretest participants. Factor analysis extracted six factors: attitude towards following the guidelines, subjective norms (eg, peers, patients, etc), facilitating conditions (eg, knowledge of the guidelines, etc), profession-specific precedents (eg, institution's policies, etc), individual-specific precedents (physicians' own discretion, policies, etc) and intent. Multivariate regression modelling was conducted. RESULTS: Surveys were received from 213 physicians representing all specialties, with a net response rate of 25.5%. 62% (n = 133) of respondents were aware of the guidelines; 50% (n = 107) had read them. 48% (n = 102) thought that following the guidelines would increase physicians' credibility and professional image; 68% (n = 145) agreed that it was important to do so. Intent to comply was positively associated with attitude, subjective norms, facilitators and sponsorship of continuing medical education (CME) events, while individual-specific precedents had a negative relationship with intent to comply. Predictors of intent (R(2) = 0.52, p <0) were attitude, subjective norms, the interaction term (attitude and subjective norms), sponsorship of CME events and individual-specific precedents. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians are more likely to follow the AMA guidelines if they have positive attitudes towards the guidelines, greater subjective norms, fewer expectations of CME sponsorship and fewer individual-specific precedents. Physicians believing that important individuals or organisations expect them to comply with the guidelines are more likely to express intent, despite having fewer beliefs that positive outcomes would result through compliance. (+info)
Neural responses to taxation and voluntary giving reveal motives for charitable donations.
(19/92)
Civil societies function because people pay taxes and make charitable contributions to provide public goods. One possible motive for charitable contributions, called "pure altruism," is satisfied by increases in the public good no matter the source or intent. Another possible motive, "warm glow," is only fulfilled by an individual's own voluntary donations. Consistent with pure altruism, we find that even mandatory, tax-like transfers to a charity elicit neural activity in areas linked to reward processing. Moreover, neural responses to the charity's financial gains predict voluntary giving. However, consistent with warm glow, neural activity further increases when people make transfers voluntarily. Both pure altruism and warm-glow motives appear to determine the hedonic consequences of financial transfers to the public good. (+info)
Gifts and corporate influence in doctor of pharmacy education.
(20/92)
OBJECTIVES: To explore the nature of corporate gifts directed at PharmD programs and pharmacy student activities and the perceptions of administrators about the potential influences of such gifts. METHODS: A verbally administered survey of administrative officials at 11 US colleges and schools of pharmacy was conducted and responses were analyzed. RESULTS: All respondents indicated accepting corporate gifts or sponsorships for student-related activities in the form of money, grants, scholarships, meals, trinkets, and support for special events, and cited many advantages to corporate partner relationships. Approximately half of the respondents believed that real or potential problems could occur from accepting corporate gifts. Forty-four percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that corporate contributions could influence college or school administration. Sixty-one percent agreed or strongly agreed that donations were likely to influence students. CONCLUSIONS: Corporate gifts do influence college and school of administration and students. Policies should be in place to manage this influence appropriately. (+info)
Perceptions about conflicts of interest: an Ontario survey of dentists' opinions.
(21/92)
The purpose of this study was to explore the opinions that general dental practitioners in Ontario have regarding various situations that may be perceived as a conflict of interest. Standard quantitative analyses were employed to assess the association of attitudes and opinions concerning conflict of interest with gender, length of practice, and prior interpersonal communication, ethics, and religious training through a survey of general practice dentists in Ontario. Positive associations were found between the recognition of conflicts of interest and the number of years of dental practice, interpersonal communication training, and the reading of ethics-related articles in journals. Opinions vary on what is and is not a conflict of interest. Dental education has shaped a better understanding of these issues; however, for many dentists, previous education has not been totally adequate to guide them through conflict of interest situations. Age and mode and length of practice appear to have a direct effect on awareness of conflict of interest issues. Dentists need specific instruction and clearer direction regarding conflict of interest issues, so that they can better manage situations deemed to be conflicting and thereby earn and maintain patient trust in the profession. (+info)
An inter-country comparison of unofficial payments: results of a health sector social audit in the Baltic States.
(22/92)
Drug representatives: giving you lunch or stealing your soul?
(23/92)
Pharmaceutical companies and their representatives attempt to influence the practice of medicine by giving gifts. Gifts, even those of trivial monetary value, impart a sense of obligation that conflicts with the provider's primary responsibility to the patient. Providers are less likely than their patients and peers to believe that gifts change their own prescribing habits, making them vulnerable to manipulation by industry. Providers who interact with drug reps must exercise caution to prevent compromise of the patient-physician relationship. (+info)
Spending money on others promotes happiness.
(24/92)