Healthy Skepticism Library item: 17271

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Publication type: news

Dunlevy S
Dosed up on donations and addicted to drug company money
The Daily Telegraph 2010 Feb 23
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/dosed-up-on-donations-and-addicted-to-drug-company-money/story-e6freuy9-1225833194108

Full text:

PATIENT support groups and doctors are receiving millions of dollars a year from pharmaceutical companies under a grant system that is raising questions about their independence.

A Daily Telegraph investigation found one of the nation’s largest drug firms, Pfizer Australia, gave more than $1.7 million to 18 health organisations in 2008 and 2009.

The drug company Glaxco-Smith- Kline last year spent $1.3 million sponsoring 14 consumer health groups such as the Asthma Foundation, the Cancer Council, Diabetes Australia and MS Australia. And drug companies are also spending more than a $1 million a week wining and dining doctors.

The donations have previously been secret but the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission made it mandatory from January 1 for drug companies to make public which health groups they sponsored.

In some cases, consumer health organisations such as Impotence Australia and the Australian Lung Foundation owe their existence to drug company seed funding.

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Pfizer Australia, which markets Viagra, helped set up the group Impotence Australia in 2000 and 2001 with two grants of $100,000.

In 2008, Pfizer, which also markets a quit smoking drug Champix, provided $135,000 to set up the Australian Lung Foundation.

Consumer groups turn to drug companies because government funding is so paltry. However, drug companies cannot advertise their medicines to consumers and need pressure from consumer groups to get their medicines on to the taxpayer funded drug subsidy scheme.

They also benefit when they educate doctors how to use their drugs.

The drug company Pfizer, which makes a leading alzheimers treatment, last year spent $454,500 so 157 doctors could attend a two-day master class on alzheimers disease at the luxury Sheraton Hotel overlooking Darling Harbour. That was just one of 30,000 doctor education events drug companies sponsored each year, at a cost of $60 million.

Professor Phillip Mitchell, who heads the NSW University School of Psychiatry, last year revealed he received $6500 in fees from drug companies for lectures and service on advisory boards. He vowed to shun future handouts.

Ray Moynihan, a lecturer in health at the University of Newcastle said drug companies donating to consumer groups and doctors were trying to buy influence.

“If your specialist is prescribing you a drug, it would be nice to know if the manufacturer of that drug is paying your doctor money,” Mr Moynihan said.

Consumers Health Forum’s Carol Bennett said it was important that drug funding did not undermine the independence of consumer groups.

Alzheimer’s Australia chief Glenn Rees said his group received up to $250,000 from drug companies as part of a $10 million annual budget.

Pfizer’s no miser

Pfizer funded master class on Alzheimers disease Sheraton $454,500

Pfizer funded conference pain management Intercontinental Hotel $318,946

Donations to groups

Arthritis Australia $25,000 (2008) $10,000 (2009)

Arthritis NSW $72,192 (2009)

Australian Lung Foundation $135,000 (2008) $122,500(2009)

Brain Tumour Australia $5,000 (2008)

Chronic Pain Australia $49,260 (2008)

Council on the Ageing $5,000 (2008)

Glaucoma Australia $50,000 (2008), $50,000 (2009)

Impotence Australia $75,000 (2008) $30,000 (2009)

Mental Health Council Australia $25,800(2008) $25,000 (2009)

National Association of People Living with AIDS $53,724.96 (2008) $37,000 (2009)

National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre (for Pink Ribbon breakfast) $5,000 (2008) $6,403 (2009)

The National Breast Cancer Foundation (magazine ads) $12,000 (2008) $1063 (2009)

Heart Foundation $227,409 (2008) $126,000 (2009)

Sane Australia $60,750(2008) $129,300 (2009)

Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW $7,400(2008) $7,400 (2009)

McGrath Foundation $300,000 over 3 years (2009)

Children’s Medical Research Institute $1,961(2008) $2715 (2009)

The Movember Foundation $19,263(2008) $23,868 (2009)

Salvation Army $11,644(2008) $60,726 (2009)

Health Journalism Awards $6,000(2008) $22,641 (2009)

ALP $29,126(2008) $29,196 (2009)

Liberals $24,140(2008) $24,149 (2009)

Nationals $2,200 (2008)

Liberal national Party $1,650 (2008)