The need for medical education. Do we need pharma or not?

I have a unique perspective because some ten years ago I worked in the pharmaceutical industry, before starting my medical degree. I was a qualified pharmacist and sick of the ‘shop work’ that was selling cosmetics and processing medical insurance claims. Back then the pharmaceutical industry was less regulated and direct marketing was ‘de rigeur’.

Whilst at medical school and as I trained as a psychiatrist I have seen a big change; an evolution spurred by extensive external scrutiny and mass investigation by competitors. Companies are distancing themselves from direct marketing, the key note speaker road shows and the expensive launches of new products. It is a pleasure to work with the pharma companies in this role as medical education provider, using educational grants to develop niche areas of clinical discovery such as HIV medicine and mental health, sleep disorders and psychiatry, and so on.

I was honoured to be invited to the recent episode of Insight on SBS to explain my viewpoint on this important interface between medicine and the pharmaceutical industry. Sadly, I was forbidden to speak to the media as part of my contract as an employee of a major teaching hospital. The discussion I witnessed was lacklustre and predictable; we need to challenge the boundaries and explore how we can work together to achieve the best outcomes for patients. I hope we continue to challenge this interface and work together in the future.