MINNEAPOLIS, January 21, 2008—A year ago, SMDC Health System, the network that operates the Duluth Clinic, decided to ban drug company materials from its office areas and exam rooms. On January 1, the policy. judged to be one of the strictest in the country, went into effect.

Employees rounded up almost 20,000 items, including pads and pens, posters, calendars, coffee mugs, plastic models, educational displays -- about 20 shopping carts of stuff. Anything with a drug company logo or identification that might lead patients to think physicians were being influenced.

Materials were donated to a hospital in Cameroon, Africa.

The policy asks that physicians decline free dinners and outings from drug companies and refrain from speaking on their behalf or consulting with them. 

SMDC will continue to accept unrestricted grants from drug companies for education, but they must abide by SMDC rules.

SMDC Health System was formed in 1997 by the merger of St. Marys Hospital and the Duluth Clinic.

A number of other health systems are considering or have adopted many of the same policies SMDC has put in place, including the Mayo Clinic, HealthPartners and Allina, according to the SMDC policies statement.

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