Cited by 250Pharmaceutical industry and healthcareEthics and bioethics in healthcareEthics in medical practice

All Gifts Large and Small

Open access
Katz, Dana, Caplan, Arthur L., Merz, Jon F.·2003·The American Journal of Bioethics

Abstract

Much attention has been focused in recent years on the ethical acceptability of physicians receiving gifts from drug companies. Professional guidelines recognize industry gifts as a conflict of interest and establish thresholds prohibiting the exchange of large gifts while expressly allowing for the exchange of small gifts such as pens, note pads, and coffee. Considerable evidence from the social sciences suggests that gifts of negligible value can influence the behavior of the recipient in ways the recipient does not always realize. Policies and guidelines that rely on arbitrary value limits for gift-giving or receipt should be reevaluated.

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Research works printed but not linked: 8

  1. Coste, J. 1999. How drug promotion affects physician prescribing behaviour. eBMJ 319. www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/319/7202/69.
  2. Dodd, P, T. Dexter. 1999. Reasons for seeing drug reps. BMJ 319:69-70. Federal Register/Vol.67, No.192/ 3 October 2002/Notices: 62057-62067.
  3. Jacobs, A. 1999. But doctors do see them: "freebies" seem disproportionately important. eBMJ (319):69-70. www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/319/7202/69
  4. Leakey, R., R. Lewin. 1978. People of the Lake. New York: Anchor Press/Doubleday.
  5. Mauss M. 1954. The Gift. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
  6. Razran, G.H.S. 1940. Conditioned response changes in rating and appraising sociopolitical slogans. Psychology Bulletin 37:481.
  7. Review and Outlook: Green Mountain Drugs. Wall Street Journal 2002; June 20: A16:1.
  8. Tanner, L. 2001. AMA Discourages Drug Company Gifts. The Associated Press State & Local Wire. 17 June.

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Authors
Katz, D., Caplan, A. L., & Merz, J. F.
Affiliations
University of Pennsylvania (US)
Venue
The American Journal of Bioethics
Published
2003-08
Volume
3
Issue
3
Pages
39-46
ISSN
  • 1526-5161 (ISSN-L)
  • 1536-0075
OpenAlex
W2093947703
Cited by
250
References
38
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 17
FWCI
9.87
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The American Journal of Bioethics (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • ScholarlyCommons (University of Pennsylvania) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Pfizer
  • University of Pennsylvania
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Pharmacology › Pharmaceutical industry and healthcare
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Ethics and bioethics in healthcare
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Ethics in medical practice
Keywords
physician gifts, pharmaceutical industry, conflicts of interest, physician-industry relations, physician professionalism, moral norms
MeSH terms
American Medical Association, Drug Industry, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Marketing of Health Services, Practice Patterns, Physicians', Physicians, Social Behavior, Social Control, Formal, United States, Conflict of Interest, Disclosure, Gift Giving

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