Physician’s industry dependency

The NEJM has an article about “A National Survey of Physician’s Industry Relationships” – a topic that I did not expect in the NEJM at least from what I have read during the recent change at the editorial office. That’s life – always a surprise.

Most physicians (94%) reported some type of relationship with the pharmaceutical industry, and most of these relationships involved receiving food in the workplace (83%) or receiving drug samples (78%). More than one third of the respondents (35%) received reimbursement for costs associated with professional meetings or continuing medical education, and more than one quarter (28%) received payments for consulting, giving lectures, or enrolling patients in trials.

By chance the German Ă„rzteblatt has a similiar thread (threat?) at the moment. Where is border between yea, yea and nay, nay?
scienceblog:http:content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/356/17/1742