A review of the federal guidelines that inform and influence relationships between physicians and industry.
The effective delivery and continued advancement of health care is critically dependent on the relationship between physicians and industry. The private sector accounts for 60% of the funding for clinical research and more than 50% of the funding sources for physician education. The nature of the physician-industry relationship and the role of the physician as a gatekeeper for health care make this association vulnerable to abuse if certain safeguards are not observed. This article will review the current federal guidelines that affect the physician-industry relationship and highlight several illustrative cases to show how the potential for abuse can subvert this relationship. The recommendations and "safe harbors" that have been designed to guide business relationships in health care are discussed.
Birkhahn
Robert H
RH
The New York Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn, NY, USA. rhbirkhahn@pol.net
Jauch
Edward
E
Kramer
David A
DA
Nowak
Richard M
RM
Raja
Ali S
AS
Summers
Richard L
RL
Weber
Jim Edward
JE
Diercks
Deborah B
DB
D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D016265:Conflict of Interest / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D007400:Interprofessional Relations / Q000941:ethics*; D010820:Physicians / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014481:United States