Pharmaceutical companies support the development of our practice by
subsidizing our library, journal subscriptions, and our Cochrane and Best
evidence subscriptions. In return we listen to their sales pitch.
In July, I produced an open letter for all the reps calling at the
practice, in which I thanked them for their continuing support, but asked
them to join us in raising the standard of our debate. I asked them to keep
their promotional material out of site. I said that I would see reps who
would present a paper from a peer reviewed journal, preferably an RCT, and
be prepared to discuss and defend the research. In this way we could make
the exchange more valuable.
I have to report that whilst most reps have said that it was a jolly good
idea, as yet not one paper has been put forward for debate. Has it taken so
little to scare them all off? If so it is a sad reflection on the
pharmaceutical industry. If any of them are reading this, our doors remain
open to those wishing to rise to the challenge.
Mark O'Mahony, General Practitioner
Cadbury Heath Health Centre
Parkwall Road, Bristol, BS30 8HS,
Tel Work 0117 9805700 Fax01179805701 Home 0117 9243361
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