QUESTION:

Prescription Drugs | Medical Organizations Pledge Support for Gift Disclosure Bill

from:
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=48445

Gift disclosure: Three medical organizations at a press conference on Monday pledged their support for a bill (S 2029) that would require Drug Companies to release Physician Payment and Contribution data, CQ HealthBeat reports (Bloedorn, CQ HealthBeat, 10/23).

Under the bill, companies with at least $100 million in annual revenue would be required each Quarter to disclose Gifts or Payments exceeding $25 in value, and the information would then be posted on a Web site.

Companies would be required to disclose any Payment or Benefit made "directly, indirectly, through an agent, subsidiary or other third party," which might include payments by Universities and by Companies that set up Conferences for influential physicians with Drug or Medical Device Manufacturer Funding.

Funding of Continuing Medical Education Programs also would need to be disclosed. (my note: this is probably an effort to close a loophole that might otherwise be used as a conduit for funding gifts and payments to influence physicians.)

No-cost drug samples and financing for Clinical Trials would not have to be disclosed under the bill (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 9/7).

The three groups -- the American Medical Students Association, the National Physicians Alliance and The Prescription Project -- also are supporting a companion bill to be introduced by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.).

AMSA President Michael Ehlert noted that $7 billion of the $22 billion spent in 2006 by drug companies on advertising was used on Direct Marketing to physicians.

He said, "Medicine is in danger of losing the public trust" (CQ HealthBeat, 10/23).
asked by grandpa24551, 10/30/2007
Categories: Health and Health Care
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