Pick 3 questions and answer them

discussion "EXERCISE 2.3 TEACHING OR SELLING? Sponsorship of Continuing Education Trying to steer clear of potential conflicts of interest, Drug makers Worried about Conflicts of Interest Back Away from The These moves are a blow to the marketing from a little-known breed of marketing specialists. The faceted roles. Hundreds of such firms in the United two medical industry giants are distancing themselves but by no means the end of their lucrative, mun Subtle promotional tactics other companies continue duce conferences. Over the past decade, CME has Holdings, a medical device manufacturer, illuminate colleagues about devices and medications, and pro recent steps by the drug maker Pfizer and Zimmer States design ad campaigns, hire doctors to educate to aim at doctors, despite mounting concern on the become one of their most profitable businesses, as manufacturers have increasingly paid for the Industry support for CME has quadrupled since 1998 to $1.2 billion a year, according to the Accredi part of some physicians and ethicists. At the center of this controversy are medical com munications firms paid by pharmaceutical and device companies to produce physician-education courses Critics say the manufacturers hire the marketing firms tation Council for Continuing Medical Education as intermediaries to help them influence doctors' pre (ACCME), an organization in Chicago that approves scriptions and procedures CME providers. More than half of that is funneled to In July 2008, Pfizer announced it would no longer marketers, with the rest going to hospitals, medical pay communications companies to arrange continuing associations, and other nonprofit entities. medical education (CME) courses, which doctors must take to maintain their licenses. Pfizer said it would supliferates, so do worries that many of the courses As industry money for continuing education pro port medical education only when it's put on by hos have become at least partly aimed at promoting pitals and professional medical associations Zimmer products. The industry and its outside marketers which manufactures hip, knee, and elbow implants, has say they ensure that the courses remain free of com suspended funding of all CME activity. The company mercial influence. But some medical experts argue says it will restrict the way it funds courses in the future that when employees of communications firms are courses by identifying an independent third party such as a pro- beholden to pharmaceutical and device companies, fessional society, to organize educational programs they will produce CME courses that are slanted in "We understand that even the appearance of con favor of their sponsors, even if they don't realize flicts in CME is damaging, and we are determined to what they are doing. "There's not only a perception fake actions that are in the best interests of patients of bias, there's a reality," says Dave Davis, a vice- and physicians," Dr. Joseph M. Feczko, Pfizer's chief president of the Association of American Medical medical officer, said in a press release. Colleges Discussion Questions Where is the conflict of interest in this CME relationship? in what way is that conflict damaging? Do you think doctors would be influenced by such promotional tactics? Why or why not? "Pfizer said it would support medical education only when it's put on by hospitals and professional medical associations." From a business ethics perspective, how does this decision address the conflict of interest issue? 18 Chapter 2