STANFORD THE LATEST MEDICAL SCHOOL TO STRENGTHEN GIFT POLICY
Stanford University's Medical Center is joining a number of other academic institutions in prohibiting its physicians and researchers from accepting gifts of any kind in an effort to prevent conflicts of interest.
The new policy, which takes effect Oct. 1, prohibits staff from accepting any gifts from pharmaceutical, biotechnology, device or other industry sectors. Industry representatives are also limited in their access to, and support of, the medical facilities. Additionally, the faculty is not allowed to publish articles in medical journals that have been ghostwritten by industry representatives. The policy was unanimously approved June 16 by the medical school's executive committee and adopted in August.
Stanford and other academic institutions, including the Yale Medical Group and the University of Pennsylvania, have made these changes because of concerns that these gifts may influence their physicians' medical decisions or, at least, harm their public reputation. The Stanford standard goes a step further than these other schools by including the device, biotech, hospital and research equipment and supply industries.
"In recent years we have witnessed an erosion of the public trust in the profession of medicine and even in the value of science," Philip Pizzo, dean of the School of Medicine, said in a statement. "It is essential that medical professionals and scientists reclaim the moral high ground and avoid the appearances of conflict of interest that can otherwise cloud or alter the trust of the American public."