Corruption of the Healthcare Delivery System

Two recent books1,2 have added to the body of work3–6 describ-ing how the pharmaceutical industry has influenced medical research in its favor. By selective reporting, targeted edu-cational efforts, and incentivizing prescriber behavior, the industry also has a profound impact on the way medicine is practiced. The medical device industry, promoting advances in procedural and diagnostic arenas, has not yet had the spot-light so carefully focused on it, but any future examination is likely to reveal similar influence. Many companies walk a thin line when it comes to providing free equipment and offering training when promoting the use and uptake of novel technol-ogies.7 In both industries, the interests of patients often take second place to marketing. The accounts in Goldacre’s and Gøtzsche’s books cast seri-ous doubt on the governance of current healthcare practice