Healthy Skepticism Library item: 17529

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Publication type: Journal Article

Moynihan R
US drug manufacturers will have to disclose payments to doctors
BMJ 2010 Mar 23; 340:c1648
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/340/mar23_2/c1648

Abstract:

New rules forcing drug and device manufacturers to disclose all payments to doctors look set to become law in the United States, after the historic healthcare reform bill was passed by the House of Representatives this weekend (BMJ 2010;340:c1635, 22 Mar, doi:10.1136/bmj.c1635).

The “Sunshine Act” was first proposed as standalone legislation three years ago, but its provisions were incorporated into the wider reform bill now close to being signed into law. Under the new law all manufacturers of drugs, devices, and biologicals will have to provide details to the government of all payments they make to doctors and teaching hospitals, which will then be made publicly available.

The names of receiving doctors and how much they received will have to be made accessible on a searchable website in a “clear and understandable” format that can be easily downloaded.

Under the new rules companies will have to disclose . . .