Health system just says no to freebies

DULUTH, Minn., Jan. 18 (UPI) -- A Minnesota health system, trying to block drug companies from possibly influencing doctors, has tossed nearly all giveaways with a drug company reference.

Administators at the St. Mary's/Duluth Clinic Health System said they enacted the policy to show "we're not in the pharmaceutical companies' back pocket," Dr. Kenneth Irons, SMDC chief of community clinics, told the (Minneapolis) Star Tribune.

Employees turned in more than 18,700 items, including pens, clocks, mugs, surgical caps, calculators, tape dispensers and squeeze-toy stress relievers. The system said it would donate 20 shopping carts filled with the items to a hospital in Cameroon, where all sorts of supplies are needed and most of the advertised drugs aren't available.

"We're part of a leading trend that's trying to get away from the pharmaceutical companies essentially controlling what's prescribed in this country," Irons said.

A national spokesman for the pharmaceutical industry said SMDC's policy is unprecedented and harsh.

"This is the first time I've ever heard of a systematic round-up of pens," said Ken Johnson, senior vice president of Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. "Clearly there's a marketing backlash we've seen in a number of states. But this is a bit draconian."