An internet survey of physicians' attitude towards gifts from drug companies / 医学教育

ABSTRACT

The relationship between physicians and drug companies has often been discussed. Maintaining trust by managing conflicts of interest is a requirement of medical professionalism. Maintaining an appropriate relationship is considered important in our medical education society. We conducted this survey to understand physicians' attitudes towards gifts offered by drug companies.1) Questionnaires were distributed to 1200 physicians who registered with an Internet survey company.2) After attending medical conference sponsored by drug companies, almost all physicians received ballpoint pens and note pads, and many physicians received, food, drink, taxi coupons, and booklets about clinical guidelines.3) Compared with young physicians, experienced physicians tend to receive more gifts from drug companies. Physicians who worked at clinics received gifts more frequently than did hospital physicians. Physicians who worked at public hospitals and university hospitals were offered travel and lodging expenses for attending clinical conferences.4) Most physicians received gifts from drug companies. The frequency of receiving such gifts differed with the number of years since graduation and the characteristics of their workplaces.5) The results of this survey are valuable fundamental data for discussing and teaching about the relationship between physicians and drug companies.