University Sets National Example For Reduced Medical Industry Funding

Stanford University is setting the example for others to follow in severely reducing the ability of medical companies to influence the content of continuing medical education programs. The school will no longer accept support from pharmaceutical or medical device manufacturing companies for specific programs in continuing education for practicing physicians.

Continuing medical education programs (CME) are classes that Stanford offers to help practicing physicians stay current in their fields. Legally, doctors must participate in such programs to remain licensed to practice medicine.

In recent years, pharmaceutical and medical device companies have attempted to exert their influence on the content of such courses through the infusion of a huge increase of cash grants to colleges and universities. Between 1998 and 2006, these industries have quadrupled CME program funding from $301 million to $1.2 billion, according to the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education.

Keeping this commercial influence out of the CME programs at Stanford Medical School is what the decision regarding funding is all about. “We want CME to be unbiased and science-driven, and we don’t want it to be influenced by marketing,” says Dean Philip Pizzo, M.D. “We want our educational activities for whomever we are serving – whether it’s our own faculty or our colleagues in the community, locally or globally – to be true to the science and the evidence, and not be influenced by any kind of financial industry support.”

This Stanford University decision follows on the heels of a 2006 policy change which banned gifts, free meals and industry marketing at the university’s Medical Center. The school began to scrutinize interactions with industry in its educational and clinical areas in 2005. This latest ban on CME monies went into effect on Sept. 1, 2008.

Under the previous approach to CME, the industry often dictated the content of the programs that were frequently held outside of the campus environment in hotels or convention centers. The company sponsors would then be allowed to put up booths and provide advertising and marketing information to doctors in attendance.

The university’s goal for the future will be to bring any CME program presented to the campus environment to a new educational and learning center slated to open in 2010. Industry money will still be accepted into a general CME fund, but not for specific industry-driven programs. The university also plans to seek educational funding from philanthropic organizations. Dean Pizzo said he hopes Stanford’s new approach to physician education will serve as a model for other medical schools around the country.

Dr. Craig’s Comments:

What an outstanding move to make by Stanford University. Did you know how influenced the average medical doctor is by the pharmaceutical industry? It is true. This is has been happening for quite some time now. The “marketing of meds and unnecessary procedures” to medical doctors has got to stop! Science and meaningful purpose should always guide a doctor’s decision making process – not the almighty dollar.


Speak up and educate others,


Dr. Craig