Ethics and the pharmaceutical industry

Objective: Relationships between the pharmaceutical industry and the medical profession enhance the potential for physicians to become involved in conflicts of interest. Whether or not these rise to a level that violates standards of medical ethics depends on the degree to which they detract from the quality of health care and its cost, the objectivity of research, and the profession's integrity. This paper explores those issues from two perspectives - the micro-level of the medical profession and the macro-level of society. Conclusions: Practices and policies that affect varied aspects of the interaction between the pharmaceutical industry and the medical profession - such as education, research and marketing - are discussed. The reader is asked to reflect on the ethics of issues raised; the author offers suggestions for mitigating conflicts of interest and, in turn, the potential for unethical medical care.