WMA sets rules on how doctors handle industry sponsorship
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《英国医生杂志》
The World Medical Association has published its first guidelines on how doctors should handle their relationship with commercial enterprises.
The guidelines, which cover medical conferences, gifts, research, and affiliations, are a bid to satisfy the public抯 demands for greater transparency in doctors?relationship with the pharmaceutical industry.
In a statement issued at its annual general assembly this week in Tokyo the World Medical Association acknowledged that industry support helps doctors carry out medical research, attend scientific conferences, and learn about new medical developments. But conflicts of interest occur when commercial considerations affect a doctor抯 objectivity.
The statement sates: "Rather than forbidding any relationships between physicians and industry, it is preferable to establish guidelines for such relationships."
The guidelines set out a list of principles that should be met before doctors agree to attend commercially sponsored medical conferences. These include:
The main purpose of the conference must be to exchange professional or scientific information
Hospitality during the conference should be secondary to the professional exchange of information
The name of a commercial entity providing financial support should be publicly disclosed
Presentation of material by a doctor must be scientifically accurate, give a balanced review of possible treatment options, and not be influenced by the sponsoring organisation.
The guidelines also state that doctors should not receive a gift from a commercial entity unless they are allowed to do so by law and/or by the policy of their national medical association. Any gift should be of nominal value, not in cash, and not depend on a doctor having to prescribe a certain medication, use certain instruments or materials, or refer patients to a certain facility.
If a doctor conducts research sponsored by a commercial body he or she should disclose the sponsorship when publishing the results of research and be free to publish any unfavourable results.
And if doctors enter into affiliations with commercial entities they should ensure that this does not compromise their integrity or conflict with their obligations to their patients and that their affiliations are fully disclosed.
Dr Yoram Blachar, chairman of the WMA抯 council, said: "This is the first time that the WMA has issued guidance on this very sensitive issue, and I believe it meets the current trends for transparency and the public抯 right to know about possible conflicts of interest."
Dr Jon Snaedal, chairman of the WMA抯 medical ethics committee, said: "This issue of the inappropriate influence of commercial enterprise on the autonomy of physicians is one that has been causing increasing concern in recent years.
"The WMA has been working on these guidelines for the last two years, and I am delighted that, despite the cultural differences that exist, the association has adopted such a firm, common position."(London Zosia Kmietowicz)
The guidelines, which cover medical conferences, gifts, research, and affiliations, are a bid to satisfy the public抯 demands for greater transparency in doctors?relationship with the pharmaceutical industry.
In a statement issued at its annual general assembly this week in Tokyo the World Medical Association acknowledged that industry support helps doctors carry out medical research, attend scientific conferences, and learn about new medical developments. But conflicts of interest occur when commercial considerations affect a doctor抯 objectivity.
The statement sates: "Rather than forbidding any relationships between physicians and industry, it is preferable to establish guidelines for such relationships."
The guidelines set out a list of principles that should be met before doctors agree to attend commercially sponsored medical conferences. These include:
The main purpose of the conference must be to exchange professional or scientific information
Hospitality during the conference should be secondary to the professional exchange of information
The name of a commercial entity providing financial support should be publicly disclosed
Presentation of material by a doctor must be scientifically accurate, give a balanced review of possible treatment options, and not be influenced by the sponsoring organisation.
The guidelines also state that doctors should not receive a gift from a commercial entity unless they are allowed to do so by law and/or by the policy of their national medical association. Any gift should be of nominal value, not in cash, and not depend on a doctor having to prescribe a certain medication, use certain instruments or materials, or refer patients to a certain facility.
If a doctor conducts research sponsored by a commercial body he or she should disclose the sponsorship when publishing the results of research and be free to publish any unfavourable results.
And if doctors enter into affiliations with commercial entities they should ensure that this does not compromise their integrity or conflict with their obligations to their patients and that their affiliations are fully disclosed.
Dr Yoram Blachar, chairman of the WMA抯 council, said: "This is the first time that the WMA has issued guidance on this very sensitive issue, and I believe it meets the current trends for transparency and the public抯 right to know about possible conflicts of interest."
Dr Jon Snaedal, chairman of the WMA抯 medical ethics committee, said: "This issue of the inappropriate influence of commercial enterprise on the autonomy of physicians is one that has been causing increasing concern in recent years.
"The WMA has been working on these guidelines for the last two years, and I am delighted that, despite the cultural differences that exist, the association has adopted such a firm, common position."(London Zosia Kmietowicz)