Making the Grade

Getting an A in medical school is commendable, which is why three UC campuses deserve to be lauded for their accomplishments. The American Medical Student Association issued its report on conflict-of-interest policies for 150 universities across the country, and UC Davis, UCSF, and UCLA earned three of the seven A grades.

Pharmaceutical companies are known for aggressively pushing their products, and perhaps the most lucrative audience is med school faculty members. Besides free drug samples, anything goes from office supplies to expensive dinners in an effort to persuade them to favor one brand over another.

While UC medical centers are wary of these underhanded practices, what's troubling is that 40 percent of the schools surveyed received a big, fat F. These universities do not have adequate rules in place to circumvent such blatant in-house marketing techniques.

When both students and instructors are bombarded with endless drug ads, the neutral learning environment is quickly disrupted. Regulations to prevent brand names from pervading in schools are necessary to advance a fairer academic setting.

This type of promotion also extends beyond med school, as there are no oversight on gifts for doctors in private practices. While we should have confidence in physicians and trust that their decisions are not swayed by pharmaceutical companies, it's difficult to conclude that the constant presence of a drug logo has absolutely no effect whatsoever.

Choices that could literally result in life or death must be based on evidence-based and peer-reviewed research. We should be able to rely on our health care providers to read up on the latest medical studies and to make prescriptions accordingly.

So while A grades are not handed out as easily as pharmaceutical freebies, there's still the chance for failing med schools to follow the three UC medical schools' lead and to do better the next time around. And let's hope they take it.