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regarding industry relations at
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

City: Galveston

State: TX

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Commentary:

This institution has adopted a consulting policy stronger than most, as well as a thorough purchasing and formularies and gifts policy. The institution bans samples in its clinics with rare exceptions, such as injectable drugs, an important curb on pharmaceutical marketing. Administrators would do well to integrate these already-strong policies into the medical school curriculum.

Updates:

This institution did not submit any new or additional policies for the 2012-13 AMSA PharmFree Scorecard.

This institution's evaluation was last updated: 5/22/2011

Gifts & Meals		Gifts and on-campus meals are banned with the exception of those provided during approved educational activities.
Consulting relationships		Consulting agreements must be in writing, with reasonable fair market compensation for legitimate services, and must have prior institutional approval.
Industry-funded speaking relationships		Speaking engagements require prior institutional approval.
Disclosure		All faculty, and non-teaching medical and research professionals, among others, need to complete an annual COI Disclosure Form.
Pharmaceutical samples		“With rare exceptions, product samples may not be left by vendor representatives in any inpatient or outpatient clinical area. Rare exceptions to this provision (e.g. some injectable drugs, HIV drugs) may be authorized under limited circumstances for good cause" but those must be authorized by Chief Medical Officer. We have interpreted "left by vendor" to mean that samples could not be given to physicians, either.
Purchasing & Formularies		Those making purchasing decisions are barred from having financial or other conflicts of interest in companies that may be affected by such decisions.
Industry Sales Representatives		Vendors must have an appointment and are prohibited from patient care areas.
On-campus Education		No central fund or institutional approval of industry participation, but the policy does require adherence to ACCME standards for all on campus educational events.
Attendance at Industry-Sponsored Lectures & Meetings Off-Campus		Travel and other compensation to outside events prohibited. It should be noted, however, that acceptance of de minimis gifts at off-campus events is explicitly allowed, perpetuating the inappropriate effects that gifts may have on prescribing.
Industry Support for Scholarships & Funds for Trainees		The scholarship policy requires faculty to select trainee recipients, and prohibits quid pro quo for selection.
Medical school curriculum		No curricular content provided, though the medical school notes that industry is not involved in curricular design or implementation.
Do the policies specify an oversight mechanism?		Conflict of interest committee has oversight.
Are there explicit sanctions for noncompliance?		Clear sanctions delineated within policy.


	Model policy
	Good progress toward model policy
	No policy, or policy unlikely to have a substantial effect on behavior
	Did not report
	Policy not relevant to this institution (e.g., does not make purchasing decisions)