The hidden costs of free lunches: fraud and abuse in physician-pharmaceutical arrangements.

When it comes to physician-pharmaceutical manufacturer relationships, the old adage "there's no such thing as a free lunch" has been given much support lately by federal fraud and abuse enforcement authorities. In light of recent enforcement developments and initiatives, physicians must now, more than ever, develop an understanding of the legal boundaries of regulatory and ethical guidelines and carefully evaluate their relationships with pharmaceutical manufacturers for compliance. This article reviews existing regulatory and ethical guidance applicable to physician-pharmaceutical industry relationships, applies that guidance to common interactions between physicians and the industry, and offers tips for maintaining compliance.