Dr. Money

The website ProPublica compiled a database of the top docs paid by pharmaceutical companies to "consult" on their drugs, and its fascinating to peruse. Paying for prescribing is illegal, but drug companies can pay fees for "speaking engagements" and other consulting work. The information came to light after a series of whistle-blower lawsuits forced seven major companies (including Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Merck and Johnson & Johnson) to disclose the details of the Rx-booty. Over the past year drug companies have payed nearly $7 billion for settlements in the cases.

Federal prosecutors have made headway in unraveling the dollars that bind docs to drug companies. In documents, one drug sales-rep said drug companies rigorously tracked whether or not their payments to physicians were worthwhile. In another lawsuit, involving Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, that's still ongoing, a former sales rep alleged, “Wyeth management was able to exclude speakers who did not promote Rapamune [used to prevent kidney-transplant rejection], and reward those who did so with repeated speaking engagements and resulting honoraria,” according to an amended complaint. Yet another lawsuit (involving Cephalon) alleges doctors were dropped from speaking engagements for not writing enough off-label prescriptions for the narcotic lollipop, Actiq.

Perhaps if insurance companies payed doctors decently this wouldn't be happening. In any case, it sure sounds like paying for prescriptions to us.

Update on Friday, November 5, 2010 at 10:44AM by Kathy

As further evidence that some doctors are reaping financial rewards for prescribing certain drugs, The New York Times uncovered documentation of a secret rebate program operated by Genentech for prescribing a costly drug for macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the elderly.

Read the story.

Update on Tuesday, November 9, 2010 at 11:07AM by Kathy

A new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found that physicians are taking less money overall from pharmaceutical companies than they were five years ago. Researchers surveyed a random sample of 1,891 doctors and compared it to a random sample of the same size five years ago. The biggest change occurred in the number of doctors who accepted drug company money to attend medical meetings, which fell from 35% in 2004 to 18% last year. It would seem public outcry over the too-cozy relationship between pharma and docs is getting through to some physicians, and so they've finally learned to go Dutch...

Read an article about the study in USA Today.