AG, Others Support Bill Banning Drug Makers' Gifts to Doctors

"A bill pending in the state Legislature that would ban drug company gifts to doctors has drawn strong support from Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, state Healthcare Advocate Kevin Lembo and patient advocacy groups, but objections from drug companies and the state medical society." Stephen Smith, a retired Brown University medical school professor and member of the Board of Directors of the National Physicians Alliance, said, "I support it because we need to restore integrity to medicine, and patients need to know when a doctor prescribes a medication that it's what's best for the patient and is supported by the evidence, not influenced by a drug company gift." Read more.