Stanford bans drug reps' gifts

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Sep 18, 2006 | by Suzanne Bohan, STAFF WRITER

And even the new policies at Stanford don't address the full extent of the influence of industry, emphasized Steinman, with NoFreeLunch.org. Many medical center faculty members, he pointed out, are paid consultancy fees by pharmaceutical or medical device companies, or sit on their boards of directors, arrangements that create real or perceived conflicts of interest.

"This is one small step," Steinman said of the new rules. "But we still have to think critically about how doctors interact with industry, and how those interactions affect patient care."

To read Stanford University's new policies, visit med.stanford.edu/coi.