Adrienne Shnier

Most Canadians might be surprised to learn that medical students in Canada are routinely taught by faculty who have financial ties to and work in partnership with, drug companies. Conflict of interest (COI) policies at medical schools are important to ensure that students get an unbiased education based on the best available clinical evidence, free of industry-sponsored, commercially-driven information. After all these students go on to become our doctors; and we want the best doctors education can provide. So, do medical schools in Canada lack appropriate conflict of interest policies or are they simply not following them?

Most Canadians might be surprised to learn that medical students in Canada are routinely taught by faculty who have financial ties to and work in partnership with, drug companies. Conflict of interest (COI) policies at medical schools are important to ensure that students get an unbiased education based on the best available clinical evidence, free of industry-sponsored, commercially-driven information. After all these students go on to become our doctors; and we want the best doctors education can provide. So, do medical schools in Canada lack appropriate conflict of interest policies or are they simply not following them?