Medical ethics, research and the pharmaceutical industry.

The relationship between the pharmaceutical industry and physicians is evermore complex and has called attention on both sides. It is evident that, for many, medical ethics, both in dealings and empathy with patients as with the relationship between the pharmaceutical industry and the government, which in their current state are undesirable. Therefore, there is an urgent need for guidelines that define the noblest path in order to reach an outcome that benefits the patient. This might be achieved through adequate attitudes and agreement on the part of physicians, by knowing, adapting, and counting with economic requirements for health expectations, with legislation and recommendations for patient inclusion in international trials, with medical error preventive measures, knowing the role of pharmaceutical companies’, cost of developing drugs and advantages and disadvantages of generics, to name a few of the main needs. For objective data of the impact and acceptance of relationships between industry and physicians, there have been several polls that show objective geographic and population data, with reasonable consistency that could define potential conflicts of interest. In surveys conducted in the United States of America (USA), as in Japan, continuing medical education with promotional events and meals is accepted as common practice (sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry), even in the workplace (67%–83%), but there is less approval for major gifts (25%).1,2 Ninety-six percent of Japanese physicians accept drug samples and half accept subsidized medical events. Despite this, doctors deny the influence on their personal requirements but accept that this conduct on their part and the pharmaceutical industry do influence their behavior.3 There is acceptance of these figures and an openness on the part of physicians in the influence the pharmaceutical industry has, both consciously and unconsciously, on prescriptions. The health professional should also note that, although it benefits medical excellence and may promote the ideal outcome measures mentioned above, the pharmaceutical industry is also