American Medical Student Association Launches Pharmfree.Org

Main Category: IT / Internet / E-mail
Also Included In: Primary Care / General Practice;  Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 09 Dec 2008 - 9:00 PDT

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The American Medical Student Association (AMSA), the nation's oldest and largest, independent association for physicians-in-training, announces PharmFree.org, the medical community's home for reclaiming the ethics of medicine by removing conflicts of interest and restoring the sanctity of the patient-physician relationship. PharmFree.org, created in collaboration with the Prescription Project, a drug industry watchdog group, provides the most comprehensive collection of resources for students seeking policy change at their institutions.

"It is not often that students have the opportunity to initiate such large policy reform in their schools and medical centers," says Dr. Brian Hurley, AMSA's national president. "With all the recent research, media attention, and discussion within academic medicine, the issues of conflicts of interest and the proper role of industry in medicine have reached a tipping point. The information available at PharmFree.org empowers students to work with their schools toward major reform."

PharmFree.org also provides information on global access to essential medicines, state and federal policy on pharmaceutical marketing, and the latest news on pharmaceutical conflicts of interest and industry relationships. The website features Q&As covering common concerns about policy reform, a letter template for students trying to arrange meetings with deans and talking points for students who have secured meetings with their administration. Other resources include a campaign guide for those who are new to advocacy and scientific articles.

"Medical students have been leading the movement against conflicts of interest within medicine," says Nitin Roper, AMSA PharmFree Steering Committee chair. "Physicians should practice evidence-based medicine using the best existing clinical evidence-not carefully-packaged advertising-and continue to uphold personal and professional integrity. PharmFree.org is the home for student advocates who want to change the culture of medicine."

Launched in 2002, AMSA's PharmFree Campaign encourages medical schools and academic medical centers to develop policies limiting the access of pharmaceutical company representatives to their campuses, prohibiting medical students and physicians from accepting gifts of any kind from these representatives and strengthening policies regarding industry support of conference travel, CME and speakers bureaus. In June 2008, AMSA and the Prescription Project released the AMSA PharmFree Scorecard, a comprehensive ranking of conflict-of-interest policies across the country, as well as an in-depth, school-by-school look at policies that govern industry interaction with medical school faculty and trainees.

About the Prescription Project

The Prescription Project promotes polices for the safe and effective use of drugs and works to eliminate the conflicts of interest caused by pharmaceutical industry marketing. For more information, visit http://www.prescriptionproject.org.

About the American Medical Student Association

The American Medical Student Association (AMSA), with more than a half-century history of medical student activism, is the oldest and largest independent association of physicians-in-training in the United States. Founded in 1950, AMSA is a student-governed, non-profit organization committed to representing the concerns of physicians-in-training. With more than 67,000 members, including medical and premedical students, residents and practicing physicians, AMSA is committed to improving medical training as well as advancing the profession of medicine. AMSA focuses on four strategic priorities, including advocating for quality, affordable health care for all, global health equity, enriching medicine through diversity and professional integrity, development and student well being. To learn more about AMSA, our strategic priorities, or joining the organization, please visit us online at http://www.amsa.org/.

American Medical Student Association

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