Simplistic approach with ignorance of rural Canada

I feel obliged to respond to the College of Family Physicians of Canada’s approach to managing its relationship with the pharmaceutical industry.¹

First, I think there is bias exhibited toward the generic industry, which has been shown to have many potential conflicts of interest and provides financial incentives to many in the greater pharmaceutical industry without providing any educational or research components.

Second, there are challenges to providing high-quality continuing medical education (CME) in rural areas. I think industry sponsorship has provided some solutions at times to bridge gaps that might not be experienced in more urban settings in this vast country. I think the College has increasingly put forth policies on CME that are alienating many rural CME opportunities.

Third, I look at advertising in Canadian Family Physician and note there are very few standards applied with respect to medical evidence; the dollars received seem to trump the high standards to which the College is supposedly trying to adhere.

Overall, I think there is a “holier than thou” attitude permeating the College. The rather borderline and simplistic attitude of Big Pharma being bad is quite insulting to at least some of the membership. Like most generalizations, this is likely unfair and overly simplistic. And I think the College has gone too far.

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