On July 29, 2009, Eric G. Campbell testified before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, chaired by Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI), at a hearing on conflicts of interest in medical education. In recent years, drug and device manufacturers have considerably increased the dollars they provide to medical schools, continuing medical education programs, and professional associations. The hearing aimed to explore the effects of these resources on medical education and research.

Dr. Campbell, an expert in conflicts of interest, recently served as a member of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) committee that produced the report, Conflict of Interest in Medical Research, Education, and Practice. In his Senate testimony, Dr. Campbell described the frequency of industry relationships and practices relating to the disclosure of industry relationships. He noted that the IOM committee carefully considered the evidence and found that industry relationships, and the conflicts of interest these relationships create, are ubiquitous in all aspects of biomedical research, clinical practice, and medical education. The bottom line is that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to find a single aspect of medical practice, medical research or medical education in which the pharmaceutical and medical device industry does not exude substantial influence through the provision of capital, goods and services.

Senator Kohl and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are cosponsoring the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (S. 301), which would require pharmaceutical companies and device manufacturers to report publicly their payments and gifts to physicians.