APA studying drug industry income

Anne Zieger — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:48:54 -0400

Concerned about the potential for undue drug industry influence, the American Psychiatric Association has appointed a work group to identify what drug industry money it's taken in, how the income is used and whether it should give up that money. The group's formation follows intense scrutiny of drug industry gifts and consulting arrangement with physicians of all types.

Like other professional groups, the APA receives a fair amount of industry dollars. Pharma revenue accounted for 28 percent, or $14 million, of the APA's 2007 budget, including journal advertising and grants for continuing medical education and fellowships. Among the income types receiving the toughest criticism are drug-industry-supported symposia. While the APA has said that it has set up "firewalls" to prevent industry bias from diluting the content, critics say such safeguards have failed, given how easy it is to know what company is funding an event and what their views are.

To learn more about this funding examination:
- read this AMNews piece

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Psychiatric group's drugmaker ties questioned

Anne Zieger — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:35:50 -0400

Under attack from Congress, particularly Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), the psychiatric field's leading professional organization is being forced to explain its tight financial relationships with the pharmaceutical industry. The American Psychiatric Association, which got a blistering letter from Grassley questioning its funding sources, will hold a private meeting this weekend to discuss how to deal with public questions over its pharma relationships.

Without question, pharmaceutical funding does make up a significant part of the APA's budget. In 2006, for example--the latest year for which figures are available--drugmakers contributed 30 percent of the group's $62.5 million in financing. Pharmaceutical companies also have strong ties with individual doctors influential within the APA. For example, the group's president-elect, Dr. Alan Schatzberg of Stanford, has $4.8 million in stock holdings in a drug development company.

Meanwhile, data suggests that cushy drugmaker deals with psychiatrists are common. While on industry consulting deals data is hard to come by, Vermont officials recently concluded that in the 2007 fiscal year, psychiatrists got more money from pharmaceutical companies than doctors in any other specialty.

To learn more about this controversy:
- read this piece from The New York Times

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