For years, drugmakers have offered free meals, samples, gifts, and speaking fees to physicians, a widely studied issue due to concerns such largesse may unduly influence prescribing habits.
But to what extent have interactions between doctors and pharmaceutical representatives changed behaviors over time?
A new analysis attempts to provide some answers. A group of researchers surveyed 283 physicians who were among more than 1,300 medical students and residents queried in 2011. They compared the responses to an updated effort that was undertaken two years ago, and the results suggest the topic is likely to remain contentious.
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