Day 271

Thoughts: Harvard Medical School rolls out new rules to stop its faculty from accepting bribes from Big Pharma!

(NaturalNews)It is common practice for medical professionals to accept gifts, free travel, meals and other forms of indirect compensation from drug companies and medical device manufacturers for giving speeches that endorse their products. But Harvard Medical School has now made a new rule that prohibits its 11,000 faculty members from engaging in this activity.

The school is also requiring that faculty who consult with drug companies, join their boards and work with them in any other ways, report all income over $5,000 publicly. The school is promising to keep a better watch on the relationships that its faculty has with drug and medical device companies as well.

"We're anxious to be viewed publicly as doing what's in the best interest of our patients," explained Dr. Robert Mayer, co-chairman of the committee responsible for Harvard's new policy.

According to both Dr. Mayer and Dr. Jeffrey Flier, dean of Harvard's Medical School, faculty will still be allowed to work with such companies to perform industry-funded research, as well as be paid to sit on scientific advisory boards.

The new rules were spurred by Senator Charles Grassley's (R-IA) recent investigation concerning Harvard physicians who allegedly broke federal and medical school conflict-of-interest rules. Harvard has responded by proposing the new rules which are designed to improve its image in the view of the public.

A recent Boston Globe article about the new policy explains that Dr. Mayer's intent with the new rules is that they "are designed to keep doctors from becoming -- or being perceived as -- marketing agents for industry." So it is difficult to ascertain whether anything will actually change, or whether it will simply be perceived as changing.

by: Jonathan Benson

Article source here.

Blogs I have written on pharmaceutical companies are Day 177, Day 148 (marijuana) and Day 163 (vaccines).

Challenges: We cannot waste time. We can only waste ourselves. ~George M. Adams

Triumphs: Today I made raw chocolate mousse cake! It was absolutely divine - mmm smooth, raw, healthy, whole ingredients from the earth, creamy, rich; everything I could want in a mousse!

What I Ate Today:

Food fest 1: A beetroot (beet), carrot, celery, ginger juice.

Food fest 2: Cashews.

Food fest 3: Raw Chocolate Mousse! Created with avocado, coconut oil, vanilla, cocao, raspberries, and agave syrup!



Food fest 4: Some blueberries :)

Food fest 5: Green Thai Curry! Created with green chillis, lemongrass, coriander (cilantro), shallots, garlic, ginger, caraway seeds, kaffir lime leaves, coconut, green beans, lime, broccoli and honey.

Recipe: The recipe for Green Thai Curry and Raw Chocolate Mousse is available on The Earth Diet website www.TheEarthDiet.org

Exercise: A one hour boxing workout at Big Al's Family Fitness! Boxing is a great workout for the entire body, legs, butt, arms, abs, and to let some steam out ;) I learned to be light on my feet while protecting my face and nabbing my partner - quite the cardio!

94 days to go!!!