Healthy Skepticism Library item: 13706

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: news

Silverman E.
Drugmakers Back Watered-Down Disclosure Bill
Pharmalot 2008 May 22
http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/05/drugmakers-back-watered-down-disclosure-bill/

Full text:

Now that the Senate version has revised the original Physicians Payments Sunshine Act, it appears some drugmakers are willing to live with the outcome. Last week, Lilly became the first to throw its support behind the legislation. And today, AstraZeneca, Merck and two trade groups – AdvaMed and PhRMA – have done the same.

The revised bill, by the way, calls for drugmakers to publicly report gifts over $500; originally, that was $25. And fines were reduced to between $1,000 and $50,000 for each violation. The earlier proposal set fine at $10,000 to $100,000 per violation. Nothing like a compromise to gain support.

“This movement toward transparency is good for the system. It fosters accountability by empowering consumers and other watchdogs,” Chuck Grassley, the Republican from Iowa who co-sponsored the Senate bill, in a statement. “The kind of support that continues to grow from industry leaders contributes in an important way to achieving new nationwide requirements

The moves come as pharma is under increasing pressure to disclose more info and drugmakers are gradually starting to respond. Last week, Pfizer announced plans to disclose info about grants and charitable donations. And AstraZeneca recently promised to post info on its US web site about grants, post-marketing studies and contributions to political candidates through its political action committee.

Here are the letters from Merck, AstraZeneca, AdvaMed and PhRMA.(See link to Pharmalot)