Comments on The Ethicator: Should I accept money for referrals?

By: The Ethicator

2012-10-28T03:43:42Z

In reply to Kelly.

But I am an ethicist, Kelly, not a money launderer. Money laundering is for sissies. Hide the money, and it looks like you’re doing something wrong. Even worse, it shows fear, and your enemies can smell that from a mile away. That’s why I advise the reader to face the problem head on. Sure you’ve got a conflict of interest, but so does the other guy, and pretty much everybody else pointing fingers. Call it even. I’m an ethicist; I know these things. And what’s the point of being an ethicist if all it means is playing by other peoples’ rules?

By: Kelly

2012-10-27T17:48:45Z

I’m terribly disappointed, Ethicator. You missed the clear solution to the entire problem, which is to simply have the money given to the hospital or academic institution that the psychiatrist works for before it is then distributed to the psychiatrist. Once the dollar bills from pharma go into the pot with all the other dollar bills, you can’t tell where they’ve come from when they’re handed out. I mean, it’s not like each bill from each company is stamped. This way, the money comes from work, and voila! No conflict of interest.

Ethical money laundering 101, really.