Healthy Skepticism Library item: 18485

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Publication type: news

Woodhead M
Complaint against 'drug company nurses' rejected
6Minutes.com 2010 July 23
http://web.archive.org/web/20101214121723/http://6minutes.com.au/articles/z1/view.asp?id=520804

Full text:

A complaint by a respiratory specialist that his patients’ treatment was being changed by nurses working for a drug company-sponsored ‘respiratory care program’ has been rejected by the pharma industry body Medicines Australia.

The specialist made an official complaint, saying that patients who were on treatment with Symbicort Turbuhalers were switched to Seretide inhalers on the advice of nurses working for a ‘Respiratory Care Team’ sponsored by Seretide manufacturer GSK.

However, the company said that the nurses were working for an independent company that provided a GP practice support activity, and they were given no incentives to switch therapies.

According to the Code of Conduct hearing , the recommendations to switch the patients to Seretide inhalers were based on the use of an ‘In check dial’ device developed by GSK sponsored investigators and distributed by GSKA representatives.

However, the Code of Conduct Committee heard that the device is registered with the TGA as a medical device and its use to determine inspiratory flow rates was supported by the Asthma Management Handbook and the COPDX Management Plans.

The Committee concluded that it is ultimately up to the GP who refers patient to the program to determine the appropriate treatment or change to treatment for a patient assessed under the ‘Respiratory Care Team’ program.