Preserving objectivity in medical education

Abstract

As a student at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS), I was interested to read about the benefits of the partnership between my institution and Pfizer (May 2, p 1504).1Hahn J Hargreaves R Hinde A et al.An academia-industry partnership in health care.Lancet. 2009; 373: 1504-1505Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (5) Google Scholar I share the opinion that future doctors should leave medical school with a greater understanding of the wider determinants of access to medicines, including the process of drug development. However, omission of any mention of independent, objective teaching from the partnership's goal, “to provide valuable training and insight into how drugs are developed”,1Hahn J Hargreaves R Hinde A et al.An academia-industry partnership in health care.Lancet. 2009; 373: 1504-1505Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (5) Google Scholar is concerning.The hazards of interaction between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry are well documented, and include provision of inaccurate information and an influence on prescribing.2Ziegler MG Lew P Singer BC The accuracy of drug information from pharmaceutical sales representatives.JAMA. 1995; 273: 1296-1298Crossref PubMed Scopus (230) Google Scholar, 3Wazana A Physicians and the pharmaceutical industry: is a gift ever just a gift?.JAMA. 2000; 283: 373-380Crossref PubMed Scopus (1192) Google Scholar Nevertheless, as medical students we are insufficiently informed about the potential effects of these interactions on our practice, and are thus inadequately prepared to protect ourselves and our future patients.4Black H Dealing with drugs.Lancet. 2006; 364: 1655-1656Summary Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (5) Google Scholar Reservations must exist as to the objectivity of teaching about industry roles that is provided by the industry itself. From experience, I have no doubt that BSMS takes therapeutics and pharmacology teaching very seriously, but surely this aspect would be better covered by academics with a broad view of the subject rather than those with a vested interest? Can we really expect Pfizer, which lies near the bottom of the Access To Medicines Index,5Menou V Hornstein A Lipton-McCombie L Access to medicine index: ranking access to medicine practices. Access to Medicine Foundation, Haarlem2008http://atmindex.org/index/2008Google Scholar to teach objectively about drugs for the developing world?I declare that I have no conflicts of interest. As a student at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS), I was interested to read about the benefits of the partnership between my institution and Pfizer (May 2, p 1504).1Hahn J Hargreaves R Hinde A et al.An academia-industry partnership in health care.Lancet. 2009; 373: 1504-1505Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (5) Google Scholar I share the opinion that future doctors should leave medical school with a greater understanding of the wider determinants of access to medicines, including the process of drug development. However, omission of any mention of independent, objective teaching from the partnership's goal, “to provide valuable training and insight into how drugs are developed”,1Hahn J Hargreaves R Hinde A et al.An academia-industry partnership in health care.Lancet. 2009; 373: 1504-1505Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (5) Google Scholar is concerning. The hazards of interaction between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry are well documented, and include provision of inaccurate information and an influence on prescribing.2Ziegler MG Lew P Singer BC The accuracy of drug information from pharmaceutical sales representatives.JAMA. 1995; 273: 1296-1298Crossref PubMed Scopus (230) Google Scholar, 3Wazana A Physicians and the pharmaceutical industry: is a gift ever just a gift?.JAMA. 2000; 283: 373-380Crossref PubMed Scopus (1192) Google Scholar Nevertheless, as medical students we are insufficiently informed about the potential effects of these interactions on our practice, and are thus inadequately prepared to protect ourselves and our future patients.4Black H Dealing with drugs.Lancet. 2006; 364: 1655-1656Summary Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (5) Google Scholar Reservations must exist as to the objectivity of teaching about industry roles that is provided by the industry itself. From experience, I have no doubt that BSMS takes therapeutics and pharmacology teaching very seriously, but surely this aspect would be better covered by academics with a broad view of the subject rather than those with a vested interest? Can we really expect Pfizer, which lies near the bottom of the Access To Medicines Index,5Menou V Hornstein A Lipton-McCombie L Access to medicine index: ranking access to medicine practices. Access to Medicine Foundation, Haarlem2008http://atmindex.org/index/2008Google Scholar to teach objectively about drugs for the developing world? I declare that I have no conflicts of interest.