As has been mentioned in previous posts, there needs to be a clear line between work and family. But I do not believe that is the primary issue. The primary issue is a matter of ethics and conflicts of interest. It is unethical and a source of a potential conflict of interest if gifts are given to a physician who is being asked to participate in a study. The source of this conflict is that gift giving can be seen as a way to influence results. In the classic example of a pharmaceutical rep and an attending physician, if the rep provides gifts to the physician with the “understanding” that the physician will enroll more of his/her patients in a clinical trial using an experimental drug, there can be a potential conflict when the physician has to decide between what is best for a given patient and what is his “obligation” (implied or otherwise) to the corporation that provided him/her with a gift. As such, gifting should be limited if not all together eliminated to avoid conflicts of interest and ethical issues.