STAT+: The gifts from pharma companies that keep on giving

STAT News Pharmalot columnist Ed Silverman reports on a new analysis that looks at how interactions between physicians and pharmaceutical representatives may have changed over time. For years, drugmakers have offered free meals, samples, gifts, and speaking fees to doctors, a practice that has been widely studied because of concerns such largesse may unduly influence prescribing habits.

The researchers surveyed 283 physicians who were among more than 1,300 medical students and residents queried in 2011. They compared those earlier responses with an updated survey effort undertaken two years ago. According to the excerpt, the results suggest the topic of pharma-physician interactions is likely to remain contentious.