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The first comprehensive study of conflict-of-interest guidelines at Canadas 17 medical schools has uncovered big holes in the policies intended to restrict the influence of the pharmaceutical industry.

Despite the pervasive presence of Big Pharma on medical school campuses, policies regarding conflict of interest are generally permissive, the study found, raising questions about the role commercial interests are playing in educating Canadas doctors.

The faculty and student relationships with industry are very poorly regulated, said study author Adrienne Shnier, a PhD candidate at York Universitys School of Health Policy and Management. This means that industry has the ability to influence the resources that are provided to medical students . . . and influence the information that is taught to medical students.

Published on Thursday in the open-access, peer-reviewed journal PLOS ONE, the study ranked Canadian medical schools on the strength of their conflict-of-interest policies. Scores were based on guidelines in place as of September 2011 across 12 categories, including samples, curriculum and scholarships. Researchers searched university websites for policies, and reached out to administrators for anything theyd missed.

With restrictive policies in all but three categories, Western University was ranked No. 1.

In more than half of all schools, however, the researchers found that policies were either permissive or nonexistent in most categories. The worst offender was the recently established Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) in Sudbury, followed by the University of Alberta and Queens University.

Most people dont expect that the biggest schools in the country and the most influential schools in the country actually scored some of the lowest (scores), said Shnier. Thats problematic . . . because when you see a diploma on the wall in a physicians office from one of these reputable schools, you expect that theyve received a balanced education.

Excerpt from:

Big Pharma meets weak resistance at Canadian medical schools: study