Conflict of Interest in Continuing Education for Doctors

I just came across an interesting course description - a continuing education course for doctors and nurses, regarding benzos. The course was titled "Using Benzodiazepines: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. "The object was to help prescribers evaluate the risk-reward ratio of prescribing these "controversial" drugs.

 

This is current - December 18, 2013 - but the thing that struck me were the relationships listed, in the cause of full disclosure - check this out!

 

The faculty reported the following:

 

Dr. Saundra Jain: Consultant—Lilly, Pamlab; Spouse: Consultant—Addrenex, Forest, Lilly, Merck, Pamlab, Pfizer, Shionogi, Shire, Sunovion; Promotional Speakers Bureau—Addrenex, Forest, Lilly, Merck, Pamlab, Pfizer, Shionogi, Shire, Sunovion; Grant/Research Support—AstraZeneca, Forest, Lilly, Pfizer, Shire; Scientific Advisor—Addrenex, Lilly, Merck, Pamlab, Pfizer, Shionogi, Shire, Sunovion

 

Dr. Rakesh Jain: Consultant—Addrenex, Forest, Lilly (and spouse), Merck, Pamlab (and spouse), Pfizer, Shionogi, Shire, Sunovion; Promotional Speakers Bureau—Addrenex, Forest, Lilly, Merck, Pamlab, Pfizer, Shionogi, Shire, Sunovion; Grant/Research Support—AstraZeneca, Forest, Lilly, Pfizer, Shire; Scientific Advisor—Addrenex, Lilly, Merck, Pamlab, Pfizer, Shionogi, Shire, Sunovion

 

Dr. Agronin: Consultant—Natural Molecular, Eli Lilly, Accera; Promotional Speakers Bureau—Accera, Novartis, Assurex, Eli Lilly

 

Dr. Draud: Consultant—AstraZeneca, Cephalon, Forest, Lilly, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Sunovion, Takeda; Promotional Speakers Bureau—AstraZeneca, Cephalon, Forest, Lilly, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Sunovion, Takeda; Employee/Office/Board Member—Baptist Hospital, Saint Thomas Health Services

 

Dr. Maletic: Consultant and Scientific Advisor—Eli Lilly, Teva, Takeda, Shionogi, Sunovion, Pamlab; Promotional Speakers Bureau—Lilly, Teva, Shionogi, Sunovion, Pamlab, Merck

 

Dr. Raison: Grant/Research Support—Depressive and Bipolar Disorder Alternative Treatment Foundation; NARSAD; National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Consultant—Eli Lilly, Pamlab; Promotional Speakers Bureau—Pamlab

 

Dr. Desai, Dr. Donnelly, Dr. Gaynes, Dr. Gitlow, Dr. Halmi, Dr. Lincoln, Dr. Noordsy, Mr. Penn, Dr. Resnick, Dr. Riba, and Dr. Tasman have disclosed no financial relationships with any commercial interest.

 

Mr. Bauer, Ms. Gaerlan, Ms. Johnson, Mr. Robbin, Mr. Savage, and Ms. Shaw have disclosed no relevant financial relationships with any commercial interests.

It's the same old crap we keep seeing over and over and over...being linked to pharmaceutical companies and no doubt being paid with some type of perk, regardless of whether it is outright money or gifts, vacations or whatnot.

It doesn't even have to be "perk." They provide research grants, hire them as speakers, consultants, and scientific advisors. In other words, most of the doctors' income and status comes from Pharma.

 

The disheartening thing is I thought the medical community was finally coming around to our side.  These continuing education courses, (which are how doctors stay "current" ) are still pushing the old ways.

 

The other disheartening thing is that in any lawsuit or government investigation, these are the eminent expert witnesses that will be defending big pharma  ... serious firepower.

 

Our only hope in this regard is Europe or Australia.

Hmm....interesting.

just for clarification the major part of Europe is in ' Benzo-Ignorance '.

The UK, Denmark and now slowly Sweden are exceptions.

 

I would say Australia is NR 1 now.

Maybe the presentation is anti-benzo, has anyone watched it? I highly doubt it, but you never know.

Hi Gettingthere ... last I read about Dr Raison, he was fairly pro-benzo. But I believe he's come around. He's the CNN point man on this so he's in a great position to have a positive impact. He was at Emory but I believe he's at U of Arizona now.

Here's a video of Dr Jain, one of the main speakers ... somewhat misguided but not terrible.

 

http://www.gmeded.com/anxiety-disorders/role-benzodiazepines-anxiety-disorders

Hello, I am from the UK and I am finding it is hugely benzo ignorant. Ireland, however are very up on benzo issues. I lived there for 12 years and most doctors were very reluctant to prescribe it. Some wouldn't prescribe it at all. There was one practice where it was practice policy not to prescribe it!

 

Love Buddy

Unfortunately, the doctor in the video says nothing about the fact that some people can have excruciating w/d symptoms resulting from stopping benzos, either by c/t or tapering. So obviously, like most doctors, he doesn't "get it." When he talks about patients being addicted, he completely misses the point that a lot of patients are continually needing new prescriptions of the drug because they can't stop taking the pills without suffering a great deal. There are so many variables missing from this, and from a lack of true understanding about benzo pills, that it's disheartening. The one part I agreed with is regarding using the drug at the smallest dose and for the least time possible. But he doesn't say anything about what the shortest time possible would be. There are no parameters to go by, and there's a very wide range, in doctors' opinions, about what the shortest time would be. And no one can discount the fact that some patients can be addicted much quicker than others. I do have to give him credit for bringing up the subject of starting the patient out on the lowest dose possible. But then he talks about possibly needing to build up from there. When, oh when, will we ever get the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

I agree Terry - look at the list of big pharma affiliations at the bottom. Of course they can't be candid about this. Their money would dry up.

Yes, it's a real shame.