Do Free Pens and Lunches Influence Doctors' Prescribing Behavior?

A new UPMC conflicts-of-interest policy will take effect that day aimed at making doctors' decisions free from influence created by gifts or improper relationships with the drug or medical device industries. Among other provisions, the policy bans gifts such as pens, note pads and food provided by industry representatives as they work to present information about their products at doctors' offices. . . . The policy directly applies to about 50,000 faculty, staff and students of the university's Schools of the Health Sciences and other professionals and staff employed or contracted by UPMC's U.S. operations.