¿Debe la industria farmacéutica participar en la formación médica continuada? / Should the pharmaceutical industry be involved in continuing medical education?

Introducción En julio del 2020 se presentó en el Congreso de los Diputados español una propuesta de ley que proponía que la formación médica continuada se financiase exclusivamente por las Administraciones públicas, prohibiendo la participación privada. Objetivos Recoger la opinión de médicos y farmacéuticos sobre la propuesta de ley, conocer qué piensan acerca de la financiación de la formación médica continuada y su posible conflicto de interés. Métodos Estudio descriptivo transversal a través de una encuesta de opinión, voluntaria y anonimizada, dirigida a médicos y farmacéuticos hospitalarios. Resultados Se analizan 435 encuestas, el 59,8% de mujeres. El 87,6% son facultativos especialistas y el 77,2% pertenece a especialidades médicas. El 55,2% no está de acuerdo con la propuesta de ley. El 92,4% se muestra de acuerdo con que el Estado y las instituciones privadas subvencionen la formación de sus trabajadores. El 54,2% está en desacuerdo con que cada profesional financie su formación, mientras que el 14% está de acuerdo. El 19,8% no se ha sentido cómodo cuando le han financiado un curso o congreso y el 74,5% considera que la participación privada de la financiación no influye en la prescripción. Conclusiones La mayoría de los encuestados no está de acuerdo con una propuesta de ley que pretende prohibir que la industria farmacéutica financie la formación médica continuada. Casi todos se muestran de acuerdo con que el Estado y las instituciones privadas subvencionen la formación de sus trabajadores. En general, los encuestados no detectan conflictos de interés en su relación con la industria (AU)

Introduction In July 2020, a draft bill was introduced in Spain's Congress which proposed that continuing medical education be funded exclusively by the Spanish government, barring involvement from private entities. Aims This work aims to gather physicians’ and pharmacists’ opinions on this draft bill, learn what they think about the funding of continuing medical education and possible conflicts of interest. Methods This work is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted via voluntary anonymous surveys aimed at physicians and hospital pharmacists. Results Four hundred thirty-five surveys were analyzed, 59.8% of which were from women. Of the respondents, 87.6% were specialist physicians and 77.2% were part of a specialist department. A total of 55.2% did not agree with the draft bill while 92.4% agreed that the government and private institutes should subsidize training for their workers. Furthermore, 52.4% disagreed that each professional should pay for his or her own training while 14% agreed they should. A total of 19.8% have felt uncomfortable when a course or conference has been paid for by another entity and 74.5% believe that the involvement of private entities in funding does not influence prescribing. Conclusions The majority of those surveyed did not agree with a draft bill aimed at prohibiting the pharmaceutical industry from funding continuing medical education. Nearly all agreed that the government and private institutions should fund training for their workers. In general, those surveyed did not find conflicts of interest in their relationship with the industry (AU)

Should the pharmaceutical industry be involved in continuing medical education?

INTRODUCTION: In July 2020, a draft bill was introduced in Spain's Congress which proposed that continuing medical education be funded exclusively by the Spanish government, barring involvement from private entities. AIMS: This work aims to gather physicians' and pharmacists' opinions on this draft bill, learn what they think about the funding of continuing medical education and possible conflicts of interest. METHODS: This work is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted via voluntary anonymous surveys aimed at physicians and hospital pharmacists. RESULTS: Four hundred thirty-five surveys were analyzed, 59.8% of which were from women. Of the respondents, 87.6% were specialist physicians and 77.2% were part of a specialist department. A total of 55.2% did not agree with the draft bill while 92.4% agreed that the government and private institutes should subsidize training for their workers. Furthermore, 52.4% disagreed that each professional should pay for his or her own training while 14% agreed they should. A total of 19.8% have felt uncomfortable when a course or conference has been paid for by another entity and 74.5% believe that the involvement of private entities in funding does not influence prescribing. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of those surveyed did not agree with a draft bill aimed at prohibiting the pharmaceutical industry from funding continuing medical education. Nearly all agreed that the government and private institutions should fund training for their workers. In general, those surveyed did not find conflicts of interest in their relationship with the industry.

Cumplimentación del certificado médico de defunción en Madrid: un estudio descriptivo trasversal / Completion of the medical certificate of cause of death in Madrid: a descriptive cross-sectional study

INTRODUCCIÓN: El certificado médico de defunción es un documento con una doble función: registro oficial del fallecimiento de una persona y análisis estadístico de las causas de muerte de la población. La cumplimentación de este documento en la práctica clínica genera grandes conflictos. OBJETIVOS: Analizar la cumplimentación y detectar los principales errores que existen al rellenar estos documentos. Se procedió a la comparación de las variables más importantes entre los diferentes tipos de documentos analizados. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Estudio transversal descriptivo. Se analizaron 513 certificados del municipio de Madrid. El análisis incluía documentos oficiales, nuevos y antiguos, y de los hospitales. RESULTADOS: Como principal hallazgo destacó que 316 documentos empleaban el término «parada cardiorrespiratoria» como causa inmediata de muerte. En otros 98 casos se emplearon otras causas inmediatas mal definidas. También se pudo concluir que los documentos de los hospitales no siempre tienen los apartados requeridos para que el certificado haga su función legal. En los certificados de la Organización Médica Colegial existe una peor cumplimentación en el documento actual porque el propio documento dificulta que se rellene adecuadamente y precisa una mejor formación del médico para rellenarlo. CONCLUSIONES: Se proponen posibles mejoras en el propio documento oficial para que se consideren las exigencias legales, se facilite su cumplimentación y cumpla su función. También se proponen recomendaciones para los hospitales que tengan su propio documento y sugerencias de mejora de la cumplimentación

BACKGROUND: The medical certificate of cause of death is a dual-purpose document: an official registration of an individual's death and a statistical analysis of the populational causes of death. However, the completion of this document in clinical practice creates significant conflicts. OBJECTIVES: To analyse the completion and detect the main errors that occur when filling in these documents. We then compared the most important variables between the various types of documents analysed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study that analysed 513 certificates in the municipality of Madrid, Spain. The analysis included official documents (new and old versions) and hospital documents. RESULTS: The study's main finding was that 316 documents employed the term "cardiopulmonary arrest" as the immediate cause of death. In 98 other cases, other poorly defined immediate causes were listed. We were able to conclude that the hospital documents do not always have the required sections for the certificate to be legally functional. In the Professional Medical Association certificates, there is poorer completion of the current document because the document itself hinders its appropriate completion and requires better physician training to complete. CONCLUSIONS: We propose possible improvements to the official document so that it meets the legal requirements, facilitates its completion and fulfils its function. We also offer recommendations for hospitals that have their own document and suggestions for improving its completion

Completion of the medical certificate of cause of death in Madrid: A descriptive cross-sectional study. / Cumplimentación del certificado médico de defunción en Madrid: un estudio descriptivo trasversal.

BACKGROUND: The medical certificate of cause of death is a dual-purpose document: an official registration of an individual's death and a statistical analysis of the populational causes of death. However, the completion of this document in clinical practice creates significant conflicts. OBJECTIVES: To analyse the completion and detect the main errors that occur when filling in these documents. We then compared the most important variables between the various types of documents analysed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study that analysed 513 certificates in the municipality of Madrid, Spain. The analysis included official documents (new and old versions) and hospital documents. RESULTS: The study's main finding was that 316 documents employed the term "cardiopulmonary arrest" as the immediate cause of death. In 98 other cases, other poorly defined immediate causes were listed. We were able to conclude that the hospital documents do not always have the required sections for the certificate to be legally functional. In the Professional Medical Association certificates, there is poorer completion of the current document because the document itself hinders its appropriate completion and requires better physician training to complete. CONCLUSIONS: We propose possible improvements to the official document so that it meets the legal requirements, facilitates its completion and fulfils its function. We also offer recommendations for hospitals that have their own document and suggestions for improving its completion.