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Town Hall urges change in public perception of consulting
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NEW YORK — Physician consultants are often stigmatized for being paid by industry for work performed, and that mindset needs to change, according to a speaker here.
"I would say very strongly that, among the best and brightest and the most ethical people I know are consultants," OSN Cornea/External Disease Board Member Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD, told colleagues at OSN New York 2011 during a Town Hall discussion, a forum for frank conversation on the current relationship between federal regulation and innovation in ophthalmology.
The negative perception of consultants is unwarranted, Dr. Donnenfeld said, because consultants by no means earn what they would make seeing patients in regular practice.
"If you want to make money, you're better off staying at home," OSN SuperSite Section Editor Uday Devgan, MD, FACS, FRCS, said. However, he said he would encourage all his colleagues to become involved in consulting.
OSN Retina/Vitreous Section Editor Timothy W. Olsen, MD, said that even though his relationships with industry are vigilantly scrutinized by both his academic institution and the federal government, he still tends to provide consulting to stay involved.
"Consultants provide value," Dr. Donnenfeld said. "We need to change that attitude that consultants are not providing value."
Disclosures: Dr. Donnenfeld is a consultant for Abbott Medical Optics, Alcon, Allergan, AqueSys, Bausch + Lomb, CRST, Elenza, Glaukos, Inspire, Lacripen, LenSx, Merck, Odyssey, Pfizer, QLT, Tearlab, TLC Laser Centers, TrueVision and Wavetec. Dr. Devgan is a consultant for Bausch + Lomb, Gerson Lehman Group, Hoya Surgical Optics and Ista Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Olsen has no relevant financial disclosures.