The ethics of pharmaceutical industry relationships with medical students

■ Little research has been done on the extent of the relationship between the pharmaceutical industry and medical students, and the effect on the student of receiving gifts. ■ Potential harms to patients are documented elsewhere; we focus on potential harms to students. ■ Students who receive gifts may believe that they are receiving something for nothing, contributing to a sense of entitlement that is not in the best interests of their moral development as doctors. ■ Alternatively, students may be subject to recognised or unrecognised reciprocal obligations that potentially influence their decision making. ■ Medical educators have a duty of care to protect students from influence by pharmaceutical companies.