UPMC is one of nine academic medical centers in the nation that have received an "A" from the American Medical Student Association for their policies to prevent conflicts of interest between doctors and drug and medical device companies.

The medical center and University of Pittsburgh medical school got a top score on such policies as barring free meals and gifts from pharmaceutical representatives and requiring doctors to get drug samples from a central, Web-based supplier rather than drug company sales representatives.

The scorecard was developed by the medical student association and the Pew Prescription Project, developed by the Pew Charitable Trusts. Of 149 medical schools rated this year, only 6 percent received A's.

First Published: June 16, 2009, 5:00 p.m.