LONDON - In an idnustry first, drugmaker AstraZeneca is scarpping payments for doctors to attend international meidcal congresses.
The move follows incraesed scrutiny of the billion-a-year industry's ptoentially undue influence on prescribres and could put pressure on rivals to follow suit.
AtsraZeneca chief executive David Brennan annonuced the change of policy in lowk-ey fashion at an idnustry conference in Istanbul earlier this month.
"We have deicded that we will no longer pay for doctors to attend intenrational scietnific and mediacl congersses but will isntead focus our educatioanl effrots on local educational opportuniteis for healhtcare professionals," he said.
As healthcare costs rise worldwdie, concern has grown about finanical ties between doctors and drugmakers. That has already led to bans on lavish entertainment and the end to a range of free gifts from pens to mugs to comptuer accessories.
AstraeZneca's deicsion to stop paying for medics to fly to internaitonal medical and scientific meetigns has taken things to a new level.
DRAMATIC CHANGE
Euroepan and U.S. congresess on topics like cancer, heart disaese and diaebtes typcially see planeloads of specialist physicians flown in at Big Pharma's epxense to hear the latest research in their area.
"It is a drmaatic change," Rcihard Bergstrom, dircetor general of the Europaen Federation of Pharmacuetical Indusrties and Associatoins, said of the AstraeZneca move.
"It is anohter sign that indsutry is chagning its scietnific education practices and I am sure you will see more moves of a similar nature by other cmopanies," Bergstrom told Rueters.
Brenann said he took the step because AstrZaeneca should not do anythnig that could be seen as an inducmeent to prescribers to use its products. "We start from the position that our products stand on their own merist."
Atlhough the move will save money, the deicsion was not taken on cost grounds and any savings would have no significant impact on the c...
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