Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 16, 2026

A Method of Trigonometric Modelling of Seasonal Variation Demonstrated with Multiple Sclerosis Relapse Data
Published on: December 9, 2015
[There is no Season for Gifts]
Abstract:
Gifts and payments from pharmaceutical manufacturers to medical doctors constitute a conflict of interest, which may lead to an undue influence on prescribing behavior. In Germany, 35 research-based pharmaceutical companies, organized in the "Verband der forschenden Arzneimittelhersteller (VfA)" paid € 562 million to medical doctors and hospitals in 2016. Of these, € 356 million were paid for clinical trials and non-interventional studies, € 105 million for sponsored presentations and CME and € 101 million went to hospitals and other organizations for sponsoring, consulting and events. This article gives a short review on the different kinds of interactions, discusses psychological mechanisms and legal aspects of accepting gifts and recommends not to accept any gifts and donations from pharmaceutical companies to avoid undue influences on prescribing behavior. There are many ways to keep up to date using independent sources of information, and independent CME-events are growing in number - examples are given.
Related Concept Videos
Biological Clocks and Seasonal Responses
Seasoning of Wood
Achieving equilibrium moisture content is the goal of seasoning; this is the point where the wood's moisture content stabilizes to align with the moisture levels of the surrounding environment. Proper...
Interval Level of Measurement
Data measured using the interval scale are similar to ordinal level data because they have a definite arrangement. However, in the interval level of measurement, the differences between data values are meaningful even though the data does not have a starting point.
Temperature is measured using the interval scale. It is measurable data, and the difference between...
Framing Effects
The Angiosperm Life Cycle
Frequency of Spring-Mass System
Consider a block on a spring on a frictionless surface. There...

