Healthy Skepticism Library item: 5887
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
Franklin M.
Medicos' reversal on free lunches
The Australian Newswpaper 2006 Aug 18
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20167710-23289,00.html
Full text:
Medicos’ reversal on free lunches
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20167710-23289,00.html
Matthew Franklin
August 18, 2006
DOCTORS have shifted position to back a push for greater openness about
free meals and other hospitality they receive from drug companies.
The Australian Medical Association’s about-turn follows news that the
drug industry will appeal against an Australian Competition and Consumer
Commission order for it to publish details of hospitality on the website
of its representative body, Medicines Australia.
AMA national president Mukesh Haikerwal yesterday called on MA to work
with the commission in the interests of openness and ethical behaviour.
Last month Dr Haikerwal defended drug company hospitality after The
Australian revealed Swiss drug giant Roche had spent $65,000 wining and
dining 200 Sydney cancer specialists in July last year.
He accused the ACCC of falling “for the media free-lunch beat-up” and
said reporting requirements would affect legitimate medical education.
But, after MA said it would appeal to the Australian Competition
Tribunal for the ACCC reporting requirement to be dropped from its
proposed new code of conduct, Dr Haikerwal said it was vital the
community could see there was an ethical relationship between doctors
and drug companies.
Although he stopped short of criticising MA’s appeal, he said the drug
industry should work to iron out its differences with the commission.
“In the end, it is about the patient getting the right drug at the right
time,” Dr Haikerwal said. “We have our own ethical guidelines as to how
to deal with the pharmaceutical industry and we think those guidelines
need to be adhered to.
“Whether an initial layer of bureaucracy is of any benefit … that’s
what the appeal is about and that’s a matter for Medicines Australia to
(sort out with the ACCC).”
Dr Haikerwal also conceded there was concern among some doctors that the
proposed reporting regime could see them named on the MA website as
receiving hospitality. “Privacy is very important,” he said.
Health Minister Tony Abbott backed the ACCC. “There should be high
ethical standards and they should be adhered to,” he said. “There has
been, I think, a quite appropriate push to tighten up some of these
standards and I support that.”
Also yesterday the AMA launched a campaign targeting the one in five
doctors who refuses to give patients up-front estimates of treatment costs.
It will send material on so-called informed financial consent to 56,000
doctors across the nation this week and also encourage patients to
insist on pre-treatment quotes.
Mr Abbott compared non-informed consent to leaving a car with a mechanic
without getting a quote first.
He said he would give the industry until the middle of next year to lift
the rates of informed financial consent. If it failed, he would impose
regulation.
