Some oncologists are being asked to solicit donations

besa

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-09-oncologists-...

"(HealthDay)—Some institutions are asking physicians to solicit donations from patients, although most physicians agree this could impact the physician-patient relationship, according to a study published online Sept. 28 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology."

"Jennifer K. Walter, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and colleagues surveyed medical oncologists affiliated with the 40 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers regarding their experiences and attitudes to philanthropy at their institutions.

The researchers found that 71 percent of the 405 respondents had been exposed to their institution's fundraising/development staff. Of these, about half (48 percent) were taught how to identify patients who would be good donors, and about one-quarter (26 percent) received information about the ethics relating to solicitingdonations from patients. One-third (32 percent) had been asked to solicit a donation for the institution directly from their patients; half declined to do so. Those who solicited donations had been in practice significantly longer (mean, 19 versus 13 years; P < 0.001). Although 37 percent reported feeling comfortable taking to their patients about donations, most (74 percent) agreed it could affect the physician-patient relationship and half (52 percent) believed there was some conflict of interest."

208sandy

I don't even want to think about what I'd do if ANY medical staff solicited me for a donation!!!!WTF!

Hopeful82014

That's pretty outrageous, in my opinion. I'm not convinced that it's ethical, either.

Meow13

Totally unethical.

cp418

Agree totally unethical. I recall when I was hounded by phone solicitors during Pink month for donations. I'd tell them I've already donated a tumor, my hair, my ovaries and blood samples to a breast cancer research cell bank. So don't bother me again.

glennie19

OH, that is SOOOO wrong!!!

ksusan

Unethical. Mail me a brochure with a request or email me institutionally. My medical visit itself is inherently power-imbalanced and therefore the request has the potential to be exploitative.

sas-schatzi

Well, thank goodness for the publish or perish mentality i.e. research everything and anything. We wouldn't know this was going on, or under consideration until we may have been sitting with our docs. Thanks Besa, sassy

finallyoverit

Agree-unethical. I agree with cp418, when people ask me for a donation in odd places like the grocey store, I always tell them that I donated a tumid and that's more than enough in my opinion. I will financially support legitimate research institutes, but not the local Safeway in their pinkwashing efforts.