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Former Blue Devil Ansley Cargill returns as a coach
100th Anniversary
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29,
2004
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THE INDEPENDENTDAILY AT DUKE UNIVERSITY
ONE HUNDREDTH YEAR, ISSUE 29
Ban’s expiration creates controversy PSM draws continued criticism Adam Eaglin THE CHRONICLE
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Since a national act banning assault weapons expired Sept. 13, activists on national, local and campus levels have debated its impact on the future of gun violence. The Federal Assault Weapons Act of 1994, part of crime legislation from former President Bill Clinton’s administration, prohibited the manufacture and distribution of 19 varieties ofassault weapons and expired this month. Recent polls demonstrated widespread support for the ban—even among gun owners. About 68 percent ofAmericans and even 32 percent of National Rifle Association members advocate the ban’s renewal, according to two studies released this month by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. North Carolina’s local governments have expressed general support for the ban as well. David Jones, director of the North Carolina Governor’s Crime Commission, said nothing negative has been said “among commission members or anyone in our circles” about the ban. “By and large, they would be in favor ofits continuation,” he noted. In Durham, activist groups such as the Religious Coalition for a Nonviolent Durham, are adamant in their approval of the ban. “We have increased the risk factor for
Jewish schools withdraw support from Duke,TlP Kelly Rohrs THE CHRONICLE
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JEFF MITCHELL/REUTERS
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Dallas, Texas, gun dealerTom Mannewitz displays assault-style rifles inside his shop.
DUMC outlaws company handouts did occur in both private practice settings and in medical school faculties.” Kussin noted that he did not wish to cut all ties between DUMC and pharmaceutical companies. “They’re a major source of philanthropy, research support and support of medical students and post-graduate trainees,” he said. “They are rightfully partners, and our whole effort is to treat them as partners —to take the commercialization out and focus on
by Tony Tu THE CHRONICLE
Everyone knows the general public is inundated with promotions for newly developed drugs from major pharmaceutical companies. They’re not the companies’ only target—physicians who prescribe medicine and administrators responsible for entire medical departments are also targets of pharmaceutical advertisements. But the messages they receive are much more enticing, ranging from stationery and pens to golf outings, expensive dinners, tickets to major sporting events and lavish trips. In a move to reduce excess influence that could potentially arise from close relationships between doctors and the drug industry, Duke University Medical Center has banned pharmaceutical companies from presenting its medical staff with handouts, giveaways and other enticements. DUMC has also changed its policies regulating company-sponsored events and interactions with sales representatives. The policy, presented by DUMC’s Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and implemented last year, requires all vendors to sign in, disclose the names of the Duke staff they are visiting and report the purpose of each visit. Further-
Amid a preponderance of negative reactions from beyond the Gothic walls, the University is striving to defend its decision to allow the annual conference of the Palestine Solidarity Movement to proceed Oct. 15 to 17. Multiple Jewish groups, including an alliance of campus organizations and representatives of the Jewish Federation, have supported Duke, but a number of outside organizations are still objecting that the University is letting the student group Hiwar host the conference on campus. Davis Academy, a Jewish Day School in Atlanta, Ga., has severed its ties with the Duke Talent rililAC Identification Program, which allows middle school students to take the SAT and attend summer camp at the University. Rabbi Steven Ballaban, head of the school, accused PSM of being a forum for terrorists, and he said that by permitting the conference the University is complicit in its activities. “As far as I’m concerned, as long as Duke has a public posidon that it will allow a group that has terrorist speakers or has had people make terrorist threats at their conferences, I will not support Duke in any way,” he said. PSM is regarded in many circles as antiSemidc, and a variety of groups have accused it of implicitly suppordng terrorism. In their own investigation, University officials said they did not find any direct links between terrorist activities and PSM. A letter from the head of Greenfield Hebrew Academy in Atlanta also withdrew that school’s support for the TIP program, but University administrators said they were unaware of the decision. University officials attributed the flood ofreactions to the deep-seeded emotions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the quantity of unverified information about PSM on the Internet. John Burness, senior vice president for public affairs and government relations, said Duke is working with Davis Academy to help it understand the University’s policies of academic freedom and its decision to allow the conference. PSM refuses to condemn any actions
partnership.”
Doctors in DUMC used to receive gifts like pens, note pads and novelty items regularly. more, promotional materials such as pens and bags may not be distributed to the staff at all; only appropriate educational materials are allowed. The policy also dictates that no displays or exhibits can be placed in public and patient care areas and that food may be delivered to the Medical Center only if it is part of an approved educational activity. “The freebies and giveaways have been a problem for many years,” said Dr. Peter Kussin, chair of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. “Duke physicians have traditionally avoided taking part in these sorts of activities, but they
Kussin said when he began medical school, he and his classmates were all given stethoscopes branded with a drug company’s name. He noted that he received other drug company enticements that have now been eliminated by DUMC’s new policy. Dr. Joseph Miller, School of Medicine ’73 and a specialist in high risk obstetrics and clinical research at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, said he understood Duke’s decision to ban drug company giveaways. “In an educational setting, it would be best to avoid any hint of conflicts of interest,” Miller said. “Most physicians use drugs that they know and establish SEE GIFTS ON PAGE 10
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