pharma

Are pharma relationship limits curbing research?
As pressure mounts to regulate physician relationships with pharmaceutical companies, some doctor have begun to push back, arguing that there are tangible, patient-friendly benefits to such relationships. Some say that conflict-of-interest rules are making legitimate medical research difficult. Article

In theory, no thoughtful person would object to the idea of keeping physician decision-making independent, particularly where costly drugs are concerned. No one, including the doctors themselves, benefits if physicians are making …

Most physicians will tell you that free drug samples are an important part of their practice. After all, patients who get samples can avoid co-pays, and more importantly, can begin treatment immediately. However, critics are increasingly protesting this practice, arguing that such samples prompt doctors to prescribe the new medications on hand rather than choosing the drug indicated by medical evidence. What's more, critics say, older drugs may sometimes be safer, as their side effects …

An investigation by the Senate Finance Committee has concluded that drug makers are using their financial clout to improperly influence Continuing Medical Education programs. The investigation also found that the pharmas were promoting drugs for off-label uses, an illegal practice which could land them in hot water with federal regulators. The Senate report said that about one-quarter of CME program providers have violated standards set by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical …

Doctors taking more than $50,000 from a drug or medical device company would be banned from voting on approval for that company's products if a new FDA rule becomes final. Physicians with such strong financial ties to a company whose products are under consideration--or ties to a competitor--would not be allowed to serve on the committees that make approval decisions. This represents a significant change from existing rules which, while they bar advisers holding $100,000 or more of stock …

Despite state laws requiring disclosure of pharma firm payments to doctors, pharmaceutical companies don't seem to be operating much differently in Vermont and Minnesota than they do elsewhere. The study, which appears today in the Journal of the American Medical Association, was co-authored by Peter Lurie, deputy director of consumer advocacy firm Public Citizen's Health Research Group and Health Research Group director Dr. Sidney Wolfe.

The researchers concluded that …

The climate for pharma-to-doctor giveaways may have grown a few degrees colder yesterday, when a pair of advocacy groups kicked off a campaign intended to bring down further restrictions on giveaways. Healthcare consumer group Community Catalyst and Columbia University research group the Institute on Medicine as a Profession are beginning a national initiative calling for tighter limits on drug company relationships with doctors. The initiative is funded by a $6 million grant from the Pew …

A new survey of the venture capital field from Ernst & Young and Dow Jones VentureOne points to big gains for the healthcare industry, including biotech, pharma and medical devices. Biotech and pharma drew $4.72 billion in venture funds last year, a 12.5 percent increase over 2005. Medical devices, meanwhile, saw investment levels jump 20 percent to $2.63 billion. Overall investing jumped to $25.75 billion, the highest level since 2001.

"I think 2006 proved that the U.S. …

Three in 10 office-based physicians still do not accept credit cards, according to a report from healthcare data-miner SK&A Information Services. "This information allows financial and merchant service firms to target doctors whose patients need payment options, and to acquire new credit card users," the company says. With fewer pharma reps making sales calls these days, …

International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) has revealed a new code that limits gifts from pharmaceutical reps to physicians. The new code, whose applicability extends to every country and is required of all IFPMA members, imposes even stricter and clearer requirements on pharmaceutical companies, to ensure the ethical promotion of their products to healthcare professionals. The provisions state:

• Pharma reps can't give doctors money or …