The New York Times ran an article entitled “Lawmaker Calls for Registry of Drug Firms Paying Doctors” about a move to introduce legislation by Senator Charles Grassley, senior Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, that would require drug makers to disclose the payments they make to doctors for services like consulting, lectures and attendance at seminars. The article cited as an example the case of a prominent child psychiatrist, who he said made $180,000 over just two years from the maker of an antipsychotic drug now widely prescribed for children. Grassley said he would propose that drug makers make public any payments made to doctors who bill the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs, which would include nearly all doctors. Noting that voters can easily look up the contributions made to elected officials, he asked, “Shouldn’t we hold doctors to similar standards?

(free registration required to view article)
article link

0 Comments