Redefining the relationship: ethical prescribing in a pharmaceutical world.

When a young Dr Tom Laughlin of Moncton, NB, was aspiring to be a physician, there were fewer than 1000 entries in the Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties. According to Health Canada, there are now more than 22 000 pharmaceutical products, 42 000 natural health products, and 50 000 medical devices on the market.1 Along with surgery, surely the advances in drug treatments for so many human ailments have been the triumphs of modern medicine. How often does a visit to the family doctor end with a prescription? Quite often in my practice, as I’m sure in yours.