Pharmaceutical Influences

Meetings of the local chapter of the California Society of Anesthesiologists (CSA) are sponsored by a pharmaceutical company. They take place at a nice restaurant, have a guest physician speaker who talks about a new product on the market, and present an update of political topics by anesthesiology leaders in the CSA.

I attend these. Partly, I feel that it is important to participate in the local community of anesthesiologists, to be aware of the issues, to network, and to get a sense of the broader direction of medicine. In the insulated world of residency, our perspectives and viewpoints are limited. How do big changes in healthcare affect the livelihood of physicians, specifically anesthesiologists? What issues are we advocating for, what are we lobbying for? I also go because admittedly, the dinners are quite good. I don't feel strongly about the talks; I know they are biased and designed to persuade me.

The problem, of course, is that I am influenced by these pharmaceutical companies. I've read some of the data about the subconscious effect of dinner talks and gifts, and I've heard ex-pharmaceutical reps speak about their methods of persuasion. I know that the purist would abstain from these meetings, and so I feel quite morally ambiguous about attending them. I write this to explore, ponder, and verbalize these ethical conundrums.