“Drugs = Bad” but “Devices = Good” ?
The University of Wisconsin appears to have made a rather bizarre distinction in their new COI rules. As the following story notes (Speaking fee ban riles UW doctors), the COI rules allow
orthopedic surgeons and other doctors who implant devices to earn large sums of money making presentations for medical device companies. The new policy would keep in place a ban on UW doctors giving talks about medications for drug companies.
And,
If implemented, the policy essentially would create two classes of doctors, those who can’t supplement their income speaking for drug companies and those who can, making presentations for device companies.
But why favour medical devices (and by extension their manufacturers) over drugs (and drug companies)? You would think that the issue of COI relating to physicians working as promotional speakers (and opinion leaders) for medical technologies would be a serious concern, regardless of what type of company or technology was involved. MDs consulting with the Drug Industry has received much attention in recent years (see the AMSA PharmaFree ranking that I blogged on in July); my concern, though, is that too much attention in COI policies on Big Pharma as the Bad Guys marginalises other type of industrial sectors, and non-financial COIs more generally.