Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Catching Up

These last days of perfect summer weather have slowed us all down a bit. Here are a few issues of note, by way of catching up.

For some rather evil fun, check out Mail Order Academics.

Then, learn all about that new epidemic, Motivational Deficit Syndrome.

After your laughs, get down to some serious debate about industry sponsorship of medical education in this issue of British Medical Journal.

Finally, sober up completely by realizing how utterly deceptive were the pharmacetical industry's arguments against the Massachusetts gift ban and disclosure law. In today's Boston Globe, we read that three more life science companies have announced major expansions in the state. This puts the lie to the claims by industry during its lobbying campaign that the bill would have a "chilling effect" on the life sciences industry in the state. Particularly unsavory was GlaxoSmithKline's blackmailing letter. Other states are considering similar legislation, and legislators there can rest assured that drug companies are able to do business without resorting to bribing physicians with mugs and hiding the details of their payments to hired guns.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Also, worthy of everyone's perusal, in this week's JAMA, see commentaries on the management of physician-industry relationships (Rothman and Chimonas), industry sponsored research (Marcia Angell), and industry supported "education" (Arnold Relman).

Anonymous said...

Dr. Carlat,

Although your blog claims to provide a scholarly approach in advocating fair balance in CME, specifically in psychiatry, your remark, “learn all about that new epidemic, “Motivational Deficit Syndrome” is unscholarly and unfairly balanced.

First, the illness is named “motivational deficiency disorder” (MoDeD) in the reference that you cited, not “Motivational Deficit Syndrome”.

Second, the reference that you cited in turn refers to a report in the BMJ, which you could have cited to provide readers with more background information. The citation is as follows:

Drug: Indolebant
Indication: Motivational deficiency disorder (MoDeD)
Information:_http://tinyurl.com/3akb9l_
(www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/332/7544/745-a?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=indolebant&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT)

Third, your post did not mention a competing drug, as follows: Drug: Havidol (avafynetyme)
Indication: Dysphoric social attention consumption deficit anxiety disorder (DSACDAD)
Information: _www.havidol.com_

I hope that this information is helpful to your readers.