AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN.L - news) will for the first time disclose the multi-million dollar payments it makes to American doctors for meals, travel and clinical research in an effort to be more transparent about its relationship with physicians.
The Anglo-Swedish drug maker already discloses how much it pays to US doctors who speak on behalf of the company and its products, but it last week launched a searchable database detailing other payments made to doctors and institutions, such as compensation for carrying out clinical research.
Astra's move comes as drug companies are gearing up to make similar disclosures in Britain. Earlier this year, the ABPI the UK's pharmaceutical industry trade body changed its code of practice to ensure that from next year onwards, payments made to healthcare professionals for services such as speaking and consultancy will be declared.
Astra said that it supported the ABPI's approach and was evaluating how these payments could be reported. Fellow drug maker, GlaxoSmithKline (Other OTC: GLAXF.PK - news) , added that it had committed to reporting these payments and the first disclosures would begin in 2013 for payments made in 2012.
Figures disclosed by Astra for payments in the US show that a total of $24.7m (£15m) was paid out in the second quarter of 2011, representing $8.1m in payments to physicians and $16.6m paid to institutions.
Those figures come as a report yesterday suggested that a dozen leading drug makers had paid doctors in the US more than $150m so far this year.
Marie Martino, Astra's US compliance officer, said the company's new reporting "expands on a major initiative announced three years ago to provide greater public visibility into how we do business".
She (SNP: ^SHEY - news) added that Astra paid doctors as the company collaborates with them to educate professionals about the safety and efficacy of its medicines, and engages with them to carry out research.
As well as fees for working on clinical trials, speaking, or consulting, she said the company reimburses reasonable meal and travel expenses incurred in connection with those services.
Pharmaceutical companies have been bowing to pressure for greater transparency following concerns in the US about commercial links between industry and health care professionals.
Earlier this year, Glaxo disclosed for the first time how much it paid for clinical research studies carried out in the US.
Astra has also stopped paying for clinicians to attend international medical and scientific meetings.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
AstraZeneca reveals payments to US doctors - Yahoo! UK & Ireland Finance
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