According to this article in Inside Bay Area, the Permanente Medical Group has put into place "strict conflict of interest rules for their 5,500 participating Northern California physicians...Other medical groups contracting with Kaiser around the country are expected to use the new rules to draft their own."
Permanente docs can still receive honoraria, if they get approved ahead of time by the board of directors, from educational institutions, nonprofits, and government agencies; and they can "also participate in research, clinical trials and development of medical devices many of which are underwritten by pharmaceutical or medical device companies but those agreements are negotiated by the medical group on behalf of the doctor, not by the doctor personally." However,
- Physicians can no longer accept honoraria from vendors for teaching or giving presentations, including payment for time, travel expenses, meals or social activities. All education funding on behalf of companies is directed to the group's continuing medical education programs.
