Ethics
This article was originally published in RAJ Devices
Executive Summary
Stanford University in US moves to limit industry influence
Stanford University in US moves to limit industry influence
Stanford University Medical Center is the latest major academic medical centre in the US to introduce a policy prohibiting physicians from accepting gifts from medical device and drug companies. The new policy, which took effect on 1 October 2006, is aimed at refining guidance to rectify the centre's interactions with companies “that can blur the boundary between academia and industry,” announced Philip Pizzo, the dean of the Stanford School of Medicine.
Under the new guidelines, physicians are prohibited from accepting industry gifts of any size, anywhere on the medical centre campus or at outside clinical facilities where they may practice1. The policy also bans industry representatives from patient care areas and medical school facilities, except in limited circumstances, such as in-service training on devices and by appointment only. It allows industry support of educational activities only under well-regulated conditions2. The policy is similar to the model approved in 2005 by the Yale Medical Group.
The policy targets unethical conflicts of interest that may arise from industry interactions and which may subsequently endanger patient safety, data integrity or the reputation of the university3. The policy covers a number of interactions with industry, including:
- gifts and compensation;
- site access by sales and marketing representatives;
- provisions of scholarships and other educations fund to students and trainees;
- support for educational and other professional activities; and
- disclosure of relationships with industry.
The policy covers the Stanford University School of Medicine, the Stanford Hospital and Clinics, and the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital.
References
1. Message from Dean Philip Pizzo, September 2006, Stanford School of Medicine, http://med.stanford.edu/coi/siip/
2. News release, 9 September 2006, Stanford School of Medicine, http://mednews.stanford.edu/releases/2006/september/coi.html
3. Policy and Guidelines for Interactions between the Stanford University School of Medicine, the Stanford Hospital and Clinics, and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital with the Pharmaceutical, Biotech, Medical Device, and Hospital and Research Equipment and Supplies Industries (“Industry”), 2006, Stanford School of Medicine, http://med.stanford.edu/coi/siip/policy.html