Seems simple enough. Get rid of samples, pens, pizza. But then let's see just how much information about new medicines flow to doctors and whether that affects patients. Right now the claim that freebies adversely influence prescribing patterns and do not advance patient health is unsubstantiated. And who would decide who gets what information and how? The same group that supports government run comparative effectiveness trials? And the proposal to eliminate all private industry involvement in academic medicine will undermine medical progress. As if academic medicine would be free of bias, conflict, error and devious behavior if money was not involved. Right. See the piece from The Scientist below...
http://www.the-scientist.com/news/home/53709/
http://www.the-scientist.com/news/home/53709/
