Regardless of whether you are a physician, resident, or medical student, and regardless of your responsibilities as a clinician, researcher, or academician (or some combination of the three), you can easily alter your behavior to counter the pharmaceutical industry’s influence over your actions.

            First, do not accept any pharmaceutical gifts, such as pens, free lunches, or samples, and view any pharmaceutical information with a discerning eye.

            Second, become a member of De-Fib and include your name on our members page.  You’ll be showing your support for productive debate of the ethics associated with pharmaceutical industry interactions.

            Finally, continue to educate yourself and your peers about this issue.  Use De-Fib.org as a key resource in this process, and sign-up for our updates concerning the latest research and news.