Healthy Skepticism Library item: 13417

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Burton B.
Australian drug industry gives details of money spent courting doctors
BMJ 2008 Apr 5; 336:(7647):742
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/336/7647/742-a

Abstract:

Australia’s drug industry has said that in the last six months of 2007 alone it organised more than 14 633 “educational events” for the benefit of medical professionals. Detailed monthly reports by 43 companies show that they spent more than $A31m (£14.3m; 18.1m; $28m) and attracted 385 221 people to the events.

Although many meetings were held in hospitals and attracted attendances of only about two dozen, others were more elaborate affairs. Amgen Australia, for example, spent $328 206 on food, alcohol, travel, and accommodation at a Sydney hotel for a two day clinical haematology symposium attended by 142 haematologists and trainees. Amgen sells a range of haematology drugs.

In July 2006 the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, a government regulatory agency, reauthorised the self regulatory code of conduct developed by Medicines Australia, the major drug industry group.

However, the commission required member companies to submit monthly reports detailing each . . .