World Press Reports on Medical Mistakes, Researchers’ Ties to Drug Companies

Nov 16th, 2009 • Posted in: News

Ethical issues, including the online marketing of drugs, are prominent in health and science reports

VARIOUS DATELINES
Several major reports last week dealt with the intersection of medicine and ethics. Among the coverage:

• Doctors in Ireland could face sanctions if they are not candid with patients about medical errors, according to a report from the Irish Times. A revised guide to professional conduct says doctors not only must acknowledge when an error happens, but if appropriate, must apologize and demonstrate to the patient that a lesson was learned that will reduce the chance of the mistake happening again.
• Faculty and staff at the University of Minnesota will be prohibited from making product endorsements and ghost-writing research papers under a draft ethics policy, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. There’s particular concern over the financial relationships between medical researchers and the pharmaceutical industry, according to the Pioneer Press, leading university officials to propose a ban on lectures intended to market a drug and the practice of faculty signing their names to research papers prepared by others, including drug company employees.
• A lobbying group for the pharmaceutical industry is proposing a seal of approval for web and social-media marketing of medications, trade journal Advertising Age reports. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association wants regulators to define clear rules for operating online, according to the Associated Press. The problem: In traditional TV, radio, and print ads, marketers list possible side effects in accordance with U.S. Food and Drug Administration rules. But in the abbreviated space given to sponsored links and mentions on social-media pages, there isn’t room. Instead, pharmaceutical industries want a logo or seal in place of the disclosures. The logo would link viewers to a page containing all the relevant risk information, reports the AP.

Sources: AP, Nov. 14 – Irish Times, Nov. 13 – St. Paul Pioneer Press, Nov. 13 – Advertising Age, Nov. 12 – BusinessWeek, Nov. 12.

For more information, see: Related Newsline story, Nov. 9 — Related Newsline story, Nov. 2 — Related Newsline story, Oct. 19 — Related Newsline story, Sep. 28 — Related Newsline story, Sep. 21.

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