Pharmaceutical companies 'should publicly disclose payments to doctors', experts say

[Greybeard]

This story is running on sky news. I can't get the link to work so just look for your selves.

It could be interesting if it gains some traction.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Haven't read it myself yet but here's the link

news.sky.com/story/pharmace...

[Zephyrbear]

Seems like a reasonable proposal... It would give the patient the chance to make a slightly more informed choice whether to accept a course of treatment or not.

Personally speaking, I get quite fed up of being bombarded with letter after letter telling me I should have the flu jab when I have already told them I don’t want it... ever!

That said, I hope perhaps Concordia might consider offering a bung for promoting T3! 😉

[HLAB35]

I have had questionable experiences with doctors 'recommending' various drugs - especially HRT which I haven't wanted (or needed) - the sanguine expression on the GP's face said it all really. My mum has had the full double glazing sales rep treatment from her lot.

[helvella Administrator]

This link to the USA reports changes to their Sunshine Act:

Open Payments Program Expansion

lexology.com/library/detail...

I can think of no acceptable reason for these payments to be hidden.

[shaws Administrator in reply to helvella]

Dr Lowe stated that it was due to corruption that levo became the No.1. prescription.

[lola1956 in reply to shaws]

Agreed Shaws, Dr Lowe knew what he was talking about and look at the mess it has left us all in ...

[shaws Administrator in reply to lola1956]

We've now got no doctors who were trained like Dr L, Dr Skinner and Dr Peatfield on clinical symptoms and they treated the symptoms and not a number on a print-out. People were given a trial of NDT or levo and small increases continued until they improved and were symptom-free.

[SilverAvocado]

Absolutely incredible that they are allowed to get away with this in the first place.

Although I do have a very persistent memory of listening to some radio show, I can't remember which historian it was, but they said in a very languid tone, "Of course doctoring was always about the gold".

Hearing that something clicked into place for me, I realised it's always been this way. We imagine a Dr Watson type doctor of the past who really cared about patients and their illnesses, but it may never have been the norm!

[Hidden in reply to SilverAvocado]

"The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil" is so very true

[Mamapea1 in reply to SilverAvocado]

I think you may be right, SA....although we've obviously now moved a million miles away from having a 'community' Dr, I do seem to remember a programme pointing out that when the health service was originally formed, GP's remained independent.

I may have remembered it wrong....anyone know if that's true?

[Reykua]

The onus should be on Health Professionals DECLARING any and all links with pharmaceutical companies for experimentation or profit. Let's start with Endos and work our way up!

[helvella Administrator in reply to Reykua]

Of course, if BOTH the companies AND the doctors had to declare, there would then be two sets of declarations to compare (and contrast?) which might help to promote honesty, completeness and accuracy.

[shaws Administrator]

I'd also like to know what they pay to the Organisations who then pronounce what patients should be prescribed. Especially when its advice like:-

Stop prescribing NDT - through misinformation

Stop prescribing T3 - due to cost alone without searching for cheaper T3's.

[Reykua]

True.

However, in my humble opinion, trying to get International pharmaceutical companies to declare connections to or even list health professionals they're linked to could basically result in some sort of worldwide Class Action lawsuit (American/EU speak for near on impossible or extremely difficult legalities) and would entail persuading all health professionals and other countries to agree. Many of these pharmaceuticals are like Amazon etc. and have had an iron grip on things for generations so I assume there'll be some resistance, not least from their countries of origin.

Requiring the Health professionals within a given country to declare their 'connections/benefits' is a more straightforward matter of proposing, forcing a debate and hopefully, incorporating it into existing regulations that they already have to sign up to as part of their Certificate to Practice in the UK.

[Greybeard]

I sadly expect there to be a deafening silence from the politicians on this subject. After all there must be a very good reason why the price of drugs goes up when their patents expire, all without a murmmer from those charged with looking after the public purse.

[Cooper27]

The thing that gets me, is that my company was undergoing an investigation for potentially giving an "incentive" payment to someone in the middle east, because that payment breached the UK anti-bribery law. I don't see how this is any different, yet this one is somehow legal?

I think I will write to my MP just to highlight concerns. I don't expect it to go anywhere, but someone needs to mention it!

Anti-bribery policy, for reference:

gov.uk/anti-bribery-policy

[SilverAvocado in reply to Cooper27]

Very interesting point, thank you!