Psychiatric News: Prof discusses pharmaceutical industry's influence on med students

An article in Psychiatric News on efforts by medical schools to manage the pharmaceutical industry's influence on students quotes Linda Pessar, professor of psychiatry and chair of the American Psychiatric Association's Committee on Medical Student Education. "The most concerning influence from drug companies may be on medical students," she said. "[The representatives] provide free lunches, hand out papers to students and give out branded items such as pens and mugs to students. There are different opinions among educators on what should be the stance toward the relationships between the industry and academic institutions."