US state moves closer to banning all gifts to doctors

The Massachusetts's senate has passed a bill that would ban all gifts to doctors by 36 - 0. The bill will now pass to the House of Representatives and Governor who will have to give their approval before the bill is passed.

The Boston Herald reports that the bill was drawn up as part of a series of measures to curb spiralling health care costs and has attracted fierce opposition from industry lobbyists.

If passed, the Massachusetts' bill will go beyond laws in other states in that it will ban all gifts - not just gifts above a certain value.