University of Iowa to bar free drug samples, gifts

A new University of Iowa policy would prohibit physicians from giving free drug samples to patients, a practice that hospital leaders and consumer advocates say contributes to increasing healthcare costs. Other changes include barring U of I Health Care employees from accepting gifts and meals from private companies and requiring all doctors who do industry consulting to report who they work for and how much they are paid. The restrictions come after a U of I-requested audit showed U of I Health Care needed more specific conflict-of-interest policies and better ways of monitoring potential conflicts.