ACRE Calls on Academic Medical Ceters to Reject Flawed Pew Taskforce Proposal

Dec. 13, 2013 - PRLog -- The Association of Clinical Researchers and Educators (ACRE) calls on Medical Centers to reject the flawed proposals from the Pew Taskforce to ban or severely restrict all interactions with industry.

ACRE believes these proposals are counterproductive.  Today’s physicians need access to the best scientific information available.   The physician-industry working relationships have led to an almost 20 year increase in life expectancy.   It would be detrimental to our patients’ health to lose access to interactions with company scientists and representatives. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies have produced some of the best scientific breakthroughs in the history of mankind and we oppose any restrictions that may hinder innovation.

The Pew recommendations were made by individuals who fail to provide fair balance to the issue of physician-industry relations.  The cry that interaction with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies causes physicians to utilize more expensive treatments is completely off the mark.  The practice of medicine should be about saving lives, not saving money.

The Pew recommendations are a simple rehash of previous flawed recommendations. It is clear that the authors rely on personal prejudice and not on the rigor of clinical science to offer these flawed recommendations.

“ACRE believes it is time for physicians to stand up for their rights, and Academic Centers to stand against the flawed recommendations that are generated by a limited number of individuals with overt bias against innovation and collaboration”, said J. Michael Gonzalez-Campoy, MD, PhD, FACE, Medical Director and CEO of the Minnesota Center for Obesity, Metabolism and Endocrinology, PA.

Academic medical centers, practicing physicians and the public need to be reminded of the extraordinary improvements in outcomes and quality of life resulting from these collaborations over the past 30 years including noninvasive surgery, ACE inhibitors for hypertension and heart failure, statins for heart disease, stents for clogged blood vessels, and targeted therapy for a variety of cancers.

Without a doubt the flawed PEW recommendations will harm medicine and patient care.  The last thirty years of medical practice, and the advances made, clearly document the reality that collaboration is critical to the health of patients and the well-being of medicine.

ACRE extends a call to all academic medical centers to reject the flawed Pew recommendations, and to adopt more reasonable guidelines that provide fair balance for physician-industry relationships, such as the Association of Clinical Researchers and Educators Statement on Relationships between Physicians and Industry. (http://aace.metapress.com/content/k12021244705x03w/)   By utilizing the ACRE guidelines Academic Medical Centers will ensure ethical interactions with industry that help promote innovation.

The Association of Clinical Researchers and Educators is dedicated to protect innovation in modern medicine by highlighting the value of collaboration between physicians and other entities that may enhance patient care.