Can Stanford’s pharmaceutical gift ban be applied to the community physician?

Doubtful, since academia has huge money backing them up:

Stanford University Medical Center took a bold step this week, but don’t expect to see community physicians jumping on board this anti-industry train. Academic research centers like those at Stanford, Yale and the University of Pennsylvania (the latter two having implemented similar, yet less far-reaching policies than Stanford’s) have huge endowments and can afford to turn their backs on pharmaceutical cash. Likewise, these institutions can write off any losses on prescriptions filled but not paid for by poor or elderly patients.

Dr. Doe in Des Moines, however, relies on drug company sponsored medical education programs. He and his patients require those free samples. And, in all seriousness, his staff members expect to eat a free lunch every day. By adhering to Stanford’s policy, community doctors across America could risk losing expertise, patients and employees.

This piece was written facetiously, but this last point rings somewhat true. Another disconnect between academic and real-world medicine.