From: "Saved by Windows Internet Explorer 7" Subject: Some progress in UK psychiatry -- Moncrieff et al. 337 (232): a1780 -- BMJ Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:46:20 +0100 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01C91FE6.A367AE70" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.0.6001.18049 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C91FE6.A367AE70 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/337/sep23_2/a1780
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Published 23 September 2008,=20
doi:10.1136/bmj.a1780
Cite this as: BMJ =
2008;337:a1780
Moynihan describes the defeated efforts of a group of = psychiatrists=20 to free the annual Congress of the Royal Australia and New = Zealand=20 College of Psychiatrists from drug company sponsorship.1= =20 These psychiatrists can take heart from the fact that the=20 British Royal College of Psychiatrists conducted its 2008 = annual=20 meeting without reliance on any industrial sponsorship. The=20 success of the conference shows that a rigorous and = stimulating=20 academic meeting can be held without funding from the drug=20 industry, albeit in less plush surroundings than usual. =
The Critical Psychiatry Network has been encouraging the college = to take action for several years, and we applaud the decision = to run the annual meeting without sponsorship. The recent = college=20 policy on relations with the pharmaceutical industry also = takes=20 some important steps, such as prohibiting company sponsorship = of speakers or attendees at college run meetings, and the = commitment=20 not to use commercial sponsorship for public education = campaigns.2= =20 However, the policy misses some important opportunities. =
It fails to recommend the freeing of continuing medical = education=20 from direct drug company influence by the use of blind = trusts,=20 and it does not follow the example of the Academy of American = Medical Schools and recommend a comprehensive ban on the = provision=20 of gifts and free food.3= =20
We were also disappointed that the college decided not to follow = our suggestion to compile a public register of interests of=20 their members, so that everyone could become aware of the = scale=20 of commercial income received by individual psychiatrists, = including=20 leading academic and opinion leaders. Competing interest = disclosures=20 in journals and meetings do not require that the amount of = income=20 is declared, but this is often what is truly shocking. By = abrogating=20 responsibility for this policy to local institutions, the = college=20 failed to provide the leadership role that it is so well = placed=20 to assume.
Cite this as: BMJ 2008;337:a1780
Joanna Moncrieff, senior=20 lecturer1, Philip Thomas,=20 professor of philosophy, diversity, and mental=20 health2, Rhodri Huws, = consultant=20 in community psychiatry3
1 University College London, London WC1E 6BT, 2 = International School for Communities, Rights, and Inclusion, University = of=20 Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, 3 St George=92s = Community Health=20 Centre, Sheffield S3 7ND
j.moncrieff{at}ucl.ac.uk
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