PhRMA defends dollars to docs, disses ProPublica :"ultimate goal of these interactions: strengthening patient care"

PhRMA, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America chimes in with a defense of the pharma cos and doctor's relationships via speaking, consulting (taking income)with an anti-ProPublica retort in the L.A. Times.

From the PhRMA site:

PhRMA Statement on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals

Washington, D.C. (September 6, 2011) — Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) Executive Vice President and General Counsel Diane Bieri today issued the following statement on interactions with healthcare professionals:

“Interactions between biopharmaceutical research companies and healthcare professionals play a critical role in improving patient care and fostering appropriate use of medicines, and peer education programs – in which expert physicians meet with their fellow healthcare providers on behalf of biopharmaceutical research companies – represent one important element in these interactions."


From L.A.Times

Healthcare: Why drug company-doctor interactions are good for patients [Blowback]:

Diane Bieri, executive vice president general counsel for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, responds to The Times' Sept. 8 Op-Ed article, "What the doctor ordered."

"We stand by the quality of these ethical relationships and, therefore, we support transparency. We understand that patients may want to know if their physicians collaborate with companies, and they should also understand how their care improves as a result. That is why we supported the physician payment sunshine provisions of the 2010 healthcare reform bill, which will require companies to report payments for services or other transfers of value to physicians, with the government posting this information on a public website. We eagerly await regulations on how to proceed with implementation. Companies also comply with internal policies, FDA regulations and the PhRMA Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals, which includes details specific to peer speakers' medical expertise, reputation and experience. These relationships are closely monitored to ensure they remain informative and ethical.

Unfortunately, ProPublica's Dollars for Docs series -- the name alone is enough to convey the sensational nature of the material -- threatens to potentially undermine the ultimate goal of these interactions: strengthening patient care. The fact is, ProPublica's series would not be possible if many companies were not already being transparent about relationships with physicians.

The lesson is clear. Rather than be alarmed, patients should take pride in their doctors serving as part of a vast team of scientists and physicians who closely monitor the medicines they prescribe, share findings with healthcare peers and offer feedback to biopharmaceutical companies. The collaborative relationship between doctors and the biopharmaceutical industry ensures that cutting-edge treatments will continue to enhance patient care."

-- Diane Bieri PhRMA