I’ve managed to avoid the scientologists at the front door of the Moscone Centre, who believe psychiatrists are “Agents of Death” as per their placards. I listened to the presidential address which answered critics from the New York Times, who reported last year that there was a very unhealthy relationship between the America Psychiatry Association and the pharmaceutical industry.
And then I witnessed the most amazing thing. Not a single promotional item in sight in the exhibit hall, and no pharmaceutical branding or items in the conference satchel. No giveaways, no pens, no nothing. In fact, the only resource the pharmaceutical companies had to promote their wares were the biggest trade displays I have ever seen. Things were so bad that I had to write notes from the sessions on the one piece of paper available in the hotel room.
Has this gone too far? I personally think it has. I do believe that there is something wrong in taking money from the companies to sponsor the event with nothing in return. And I think it is blatantly stupid to suggest that doctors are influenced by what pens they have on their desks.
So if these things are not supplied and this is the step the APA has taken, then surely they could have put a couple of pens and a notepad in the satchels. And it would have been nice to have meals provided throughout the day; there was no food served at all. And it wasn’t cheap to get here. I paid $250 AU per workshop on top of my registration fee of almost $1000. The full day workshops did not include any food either.
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