Interactions between emergency medicine programs and the pharmaceutical industry

Objectives: To examine the beliefs and practices of emergency medicine program directors regarding interactions with the pharmaceutical industry. The authors also sought to study the prevalence of program policies and the desire for organizational policies. Methods: The Board of the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors (CORD) requested and approved a member survey. An institutional review board-approved, Web-based, 30-item survey was sent to all CORD members subscribed to the organization's listserv in May 2002 and was completed by June 2002. Program director respondents were surveyed as to their beliefs and practices regarding industry sponsorship of speakers, social events, drug samples, travel to conferences, and the educational value of marketing representatives. Subjects were queried about their awareness of existing guidelines and whether they desired policy development by CORD. Results: Surveys were returned from 106 programs (85%). The majority of program directors (72%) "never" or "very rarely" allowed unrestricted interactions between pharmaceutical representatives and residents at work. However, only 52% of program directors said they "never" or "very rarely" allowed pharmaceutical representatives to give residents free drug samples at work. Only 46% said they "never" or "very rarely" allowed pharmaceutical representatives to teach residents. Two thirds of program directors desired CORD guidelines regarding interactions with the pharmaceutical industry. Program directors seeking guidelines were less likely to allow pharmaceutical representatives to teach residents (p = 0.001). They were also less likely to allow pharmaceutical representatives unrestricted interactions with residents (p = 0.05). Conclusions: A wide range of practices exist among emergency medicine residency program directors, and most desire organizational guidelines regarding interactions with the pharmaceutical industry.