You say "drug whore" like it's a bad thing

Ah, the good old days. Remember when doctors could cash a drug industry check and feel proud of it? Back when nobody used the ugly phrase "drug whore" except angry reps who turned resentful when their doctors accepted money from a competitor? Now, of course, industry-funded doctors are being attacked from every direction -- the government, activists, university administrators, and especially the media. And all because they want to help people and make the world a better place.

That's apparently the way things look at ACRE, or the Association of Clinical Researchers and Educators, which held its annual meeting in New York on Friday. ACRE is a group devoted to preserving financial relationships between doctors and pharma. They believe they are under siege, and they are making plans to fight back. Read Duff Wilson's account on the NY Times "Prescriptions" blog.