Hartford Courant
Limit Gifts To Doctors
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
The General Assembly's Committee on Public Health has once again passed up the chance to make doctors disclose the gifts they receive from drug companies. There's hope next year for a bill that would require disclosure.
Studies show that prescriptions for a particular drug rise in direct proportion to the handouts a physician accepts from the manufacturer. The committee, co-chaired by state Sen. Mary Ann Handley of Manchester and Rep. Peggy Sayers of Windsor Locks, failed to vote on a bill last year and didn't raise it for consideration this year. Committee members did hold an informational forum on the issue, but that was it. The legislative session ends Wednesday.
The most recent proposal, crafted by state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, barred gifts of any sort given to health care providers in exchange for prescribing particular drugs. Gifts would be limited to low-value items such as note pads and drug samples that cost less than $100, to be given to patients for free.
Under Mr. Blumenthal's bill, paying physicians to serve as drug-company consultants would require written contracts, documentation of criteria for selection and proof of a legitimate need for such a service. Recipients of medical school scholarships and other educational assistance would be selected by an academic or training institution. Fines would range up to $10,000 for each violation.
Drug companies say there is no quid pro quo in their generosity. They point out that federal law and industry standards already prohibit their giving doctors anything of value in exchange for writing prescriptions.
That's true. But studies suggest that doctors feel obligated to prescribe certain medications after receiving a generous gift from the drug's sales representative.
A patient shouldn't risk taking a costly drug he might not need or that could harm him simply because a doctor felt he owed it to the manufacturer.
Copyright © 2008, The Hartford Courant
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