18. Dr. Jones accepts from a pharmaceutical company travel costs and a registration fee to attend a 2-day conference in Cancun, at which the class of drugs made by the company will be discussed. In addition Dr. Jones accepts a $500/day consulting fee, to pay for her time spent away from practice, and in exchange for which she will fill out a 1-page evaluation form on the quality of the conference.
#	Response Date	Comment
1.	Tue, 3/13/07 11:24 PM	No COI if prescribing practices end up being appropriate for current medical standards
2.	Thu, 3/15/07 1:32 PM	I quit.
3.	Sat, 3/17/07 1:33 PM	I see questions 14-18 as equivalent in their degree of COI. I do not personally differentiate the degree of COI based upon the size of the incentive.
4.	Mon, 3/19/07 4:58 PM	This is trickier. In this case, the physician is actually providing a service (i.e., an evaluation) in return for the consulting fee and travel expenses. Having said that, this is a hollow attempt on the part of the drug company to influence the physician. If the physician has any professional standards, he/she would decline the invitation. In fact, I know professional colleagues who refuse to consult for drug companies because this would call into question their independence and ability to impartially represent their own work.
5.	Mon, 3/19/07 5:30 PM	This is clearly buying the doc.
6.	Tue, 4/24/07 9:49 PM	Just like any business, Dr Jones should be able to go as a consultanting professional and get reimbursed for his services.
7.	Tue, 5/8/07 3:29 PM	....