Integrating pharmaceutical-supported research evidence in residency training.

摘要

To the Editor: As residency program directors, we read with interest the recent article by David B. Merrill, M.D., et al. (1), published in the April 2010 issue of the Journal (1). This article highlighted a number of very important issues in resident education. As pointed out, pharmaceutical-industry-supported research has been playing an increasingly important role in academia, but most residency programs provide little or no training about the controversies and intricacies involved in these relationships (2). Although this area encompasses a number of core competence issues, such issues are not covered in most residency curricula (3). It is encouraging that the psychiatric field as a whole is moving away from this once cozy and awkward relationship with the big pharmaceutical companies, but it is important to introduce ways to educate future residents about the financial, ethical, and clinical implications of collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry on a consistent basis.