Healthy Skepticism Library item: 19539
Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.
Publication type: news
Ross JS, Lurie P, Wolfe SM
Medical Education Services Supplies: A Threat to Physician Education. Public Citizen
Public Citizen 2000 July 19
http://www.citizen.org/hrg1530
Abstract:
Background: Commercially-oriented Medical Education Services Suppliers (MESSs) are predominantly for-profit companies that provide promotional and nonpromotional/educational services to the medical community on behalf of their clients, a large proportion of whom are pharmaceutical companies. Our objective was to better describe and understand the role that MESSs play in physician education today. Methods: We analyzed the results of a survey, conducted and published by the periodical Medical Marketing & Media, which included general information and the 1998 and 1999 financial information for 80 of the 123 contacted MESSs. Results: The MESS industry’s revenue grew 19% between 1998 and 1999, totaling $643 million in U.S. revenue in 1999 for the 42 respondents (53%) who reported financial data. MESS’s averaged $15 million in 1999 U.S. revenue (range: $0.35-98 million). A total of $289 million, or 45% of the total reported revenue, was earned through providing grand rounds, symposia, or publications-related activities, with $115 million earned through providing grand rounds-related services. On average, 76% of each MESS’s clients were pharmaceutical manufacturers listed in the Physicians Desk Reference. Conclusions: The results suggest that MESS’s work on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry to provide at least a billion dollars in physician “education” activities annually. A for-profit, pharmaceutical industry-oriented company is a poor candidate for organizing physician education as there is a clear conflict between the needs of MESSs’ clients and stockholders and the need for unbiased information in physician education.
Keywords:
physician education; continuing medical education; conflict of interest; pharmaceutical industry; medical education services suppliers.
