Rethinking the Use of Physicians as Hired Expert Lecturers
Authors: Jerry Avorn
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2015)

Letters17 February 2015Rethinking the Use of Physicians as Hired Expert LecturersJerry Avorn, MDJerry Avorn, MDFrom Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/L15-5052-4 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail IN RESPONSE:Dr. Garnick and Ms. Balter argue that we should be grateful that drug companies hire physicians to teach us about the many new drugs that are introduced annually. But the purpose of such talks, often arranged through a company's marketing department, is primarily to increase product sales rather than present a comprehensive view. It is unrealistic to expect these presentations to emphasize that a generic medication may be as effective as the sponsor's more expensive product or have a longer safety track record (1). Several major investigations and more than $15 billion in settlements have documented widespread violations ...References1. Avorn J. Healing the overwhelmed physician. The New York Times. 12 June 2013:A27. Accessed at www.nytimes.com/2013/06/12/opinion/healing-the-overwhelmed-physician.html?_r=0 on 12 January 2015. Google Scholar2. List of largest pharmaceutical settlements. Wikipedia. 2014. Accessed at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_pharmaceutical_settlements on 12 January 2015. Google Scholar3. KRC Research. Survey of Physicians about Pharmaceutical and Biotech Research Company Activities and Information. (Commissioned by Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.) Washington, DC: KRC Research; 2011:16. Accessed at www.phrma.org/sites/default/files/pdf/krcsurveyofphysicians_1.pdf on 12 January 2015. Google Scholar4. Austad KE, Avorn J, Franklin JM, Campbell EG, Kesselheim AS. Association of marketing interactions with medical trainees' knowledge about evidence-based prescribing: results from a national survey. JAMA Intern Med. 2014;174:1283-90. [PMID: 24911123] doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.2202 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Fischer MA, Avorn J. Academic detailing can play a key role in assessing and implementing comparative effectiveness research findings. Health Aff (Millwood). 2012;31:2206-12. [PMID: 23048098] doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2012.0817 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.Disclosures: Authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Forms can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterest Forms.do?msNum=M14-0847. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoRethinking the Use of Physicians as Hired Expert Lecturers Jerry Avorn Rethinking the Use of Physicians as Hired Expert Lecturers Jerry Avorn Rethinking the Use of Physicians as Hired Expert Lecturers Marc B. Garnick and Wendy Balter Rethinking the Use of Physicians as Hired Expert Lecturers Kaenat Mulla , Adebusola Shonubi , and Dev Katarey Rethinking the Use of Physicians as Hired Expert Lecturers Abrar Khan Rethinking the Use of Physicians as Hired Expert Lecturers Abrar Khan Rethinking the Use of Physicians as Hired Expert Lecturers Kaenat Mulla , Adebusola Shonubi , and Dev Katarey Rethinking the Use of Physicians as Hired Expert Lecturers Marc B. Garnick and Wendy Balter Metrics 17 February 2015Volume 162, Issue 4Page: 321-322KeywordsConflicts of interestDisclosureDrugsFoodInformation storage and retrievalMedical educationSafety ePublished: 17 February 2015 Issue Published: 17 February 2015 CopyrightCopyright © 2015 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...