Medical Schools Rated on Conflicts of Interest

June 18th, 2009. By Evelyn Pringle

This week the American Medical Student Association released its “AMSA PharmFree Scorecard 2009,” based on an evaluation of conflict-of-interest policies at 149 medical colleges and colleges of osteopathic medicine in the US, with a focus on interaction between students or faculty and the pharmaceutical industry

The methodology for the Scorecard was jointly developed by AMSA and the Pew Prescription Project, and assesses policies related to: “acceptance of gifts and meals from industry; consulting relationships; speaking relationships; disclosure of financial conflicts; pharmaceutical samples; individuals with financial conflicts participating in university purchasing decisions; financial support for educational events (on- and off-campus); industry support for scholarships and trainee funds; access of industry sales personnel to medical school or hospital personnel; and inclusion of education about conflict of interest within the academic curriculum,” according to a June 16, 2009, Executive Summary, on the AMSA website.

The presence of oversight and sanctions is also examined, “but not included in grade calculation,” the summary notes.

Of the 149 colleges, 35 schools, or 23%, received an F. Seventeen received a D, 18 were graded C, 36 schools received a B, and only 9 got an A.

Tags: medical schools

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