In response to perceived controversies regarding interactions between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry, we undertook a study to look at the relationship between Canadian psychiatry training programs and the pharmaceutical industry.
The authors distributed a survey to the residency program directors and chief residents of the 16 psychiatry training programs in Canada.
Of respondents, 75 per cent were either unaware of or noted an absence of policies or guidelines regarding interactions with the pharmaceutical industry in their training programs; 70 per cent viewed staff psychiatrists and residents to be at least 50 per cent familiar with the Canadian Medical Association's policy summary; and 74 per cent were unaware of any structural teaching regarding potential conflicts of interest between psychiatry and the pharmaceutical industry. A significant number of respondents perceived occasional excessive influence by the pharmaceutical industry on residents' training.
Despite concerns about potential conflicts of interest, there are a few guidelines in most psychiatry training programs in Canada regarding the relationship between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry.