• UCLA Health
  • myUCLAhealth
  • School of Medicine
U Magazine

U Magazine

U Magazine
  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Centennial Campaign for UCLA Issue
  • Browse U Magazine
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • UCLA Health
  • myUCLAhealth
  • School of Medicine

U Magazine

Browse U Magazine

  1. Home
  2. Browse U Magazine
Share this
The Cutting Edge

Protecting Med Students from Influences of Pharma

THE DAVID GEFFEN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE at UCLA is one of only nine medical schools out of 149 to earn an “A” grade in a nationwide survey by the American Medical Students Association of educational policies governing students’ contact with the pharmaceutical industry.

“We are proud to be in the top 6 percent of medical schools addressing this important issue,” says Andrew Leuchter, M.D., associate dean. “It is crucial that our nation’s physicians be trained to make decisions in the best interests of their patients, free of influence from private industry.”

UCLA was one of the first U.S. medical schools to adopt tough industry-relations guidelines. In November 2006, UCLA prohibited all industry gifts to faculty, staff and students; banned industry advertising materials and sales calls in patient-care areas; and limited the use of drug samples to circumstances in the best interests of patients, such as cases of financial need.

In July 2007, UCLA’s guidelines were incorporated into the policy for the entire University of California system. In addition, UCLA now requires annual reporting by faculty members of all financial relationships with healthcare vendors.

Developed with the Pew Prescription Project, the 2009 scorecard evaluated each medical school’s policies in 11 areas, including restrictions on gifts, free meals and drug samples; paid promotional presentations; interaction with sales representatives; and industry-funded education. The results provide a school-by-school analysis of policies that govern the pharmaceutical industry’s interaction with faculty and students.

Pharmaceutical marketing to physicians has been estimated at up to $46 billion annually – roughly $35,000 per physician each year. Th ese figures do not factor in promotion by the medical-device industry. More than 100,000 pharmaceutical sales representatives visit U.S. doctors, often providing free lunches, gifts, drug samples and promotional medical literature.


Previous
How to Build a Bigger Brain
Next
Chain of Life


YOU ARE VIEWING

Fall 2009

Fall 2009
E-Brochure
Printable PDF
IN THIS ISSUE
  • 15 YEARS
  • The Sounds of Learning
  • Rethinking Alzheimer's Disease
  • Learning to Walk Again
  • Return of the jazz Singer
  • New Dean Named
  • How to Build a Bigger Brain
  • Protecting Med Students from Influences of Pharma
  • Chain of Life
  • Transplatation Milestones
  • More Obesity Blues
  • Dr. Daniel Geschwind
  • Do No Harm
  • The Surgeon Scientist
  • Comfort Measures
  • Dr. Slamon's Perspective
  • Award/Honors
  • Rock On!
  • A Toast from Classes Past
  • Cheers to the Classes of ’55-’60, ’70, ’80, ’90 and ’00
  • Come One, Come All
  • Give Back
  • Welcome Back, Donald
  • Supper Time
  • The Dean's Visit
  • Visionaries
  • Gifts
  • Events
  • Chairs of Distinction
  • Memories of Marwa
Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Subscribe to Our Videos on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Connect with Us on LinkedIn Follow us on Pinterest
UCLA Health hospitals ranked best hospitals by U.S. News & World Report
  • UCLA Health
  • Find a Doctor
  • School of Medicine
  • School of Nursing
  • UCLA Campus
  • Directory
  • Newsroom
  • Subscribe
  • Patient Stories
  • Giving
  • Careers
  • Volunteer
  • International Services
  • Privacy Practices
  • Nondiscrimination
  • Billing
  • Health Plans
  • Emergency
  • Report Broken Links
  • Terms of Use
  • 1-310-825-2631
  • Maps & Directions
  • Contact Us
  • Your Feedback
  • Report Misconduct
  • Get Social
  • Sitemap
Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Subscribe to Our Videos on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Connect with Us on LinkedIn Follow us on Pinterest

Sign in to myUCLAhealth