December 2009 Archives

The American Association of Advertising Agencies and the Coalition for Healthcare Communication have formed a working group to help the FDA create its new Internet and Social Media rule. 

For background information, read:
Fabio Gratton's Ignite Blog
Mark Marmur's December 10th Presentation - Update on the FDA's Social Media Hearings
Marmur-FDASMUpdate_Dec10_09.pdf
and visit the Coalition's Overview page

Continuing his "ongoing probe into conflicts of interest" Senator Chuck Grassley this week sent letters to the American Medical Association, Alzheimer's Association, the American Cancer Society and 30 other disease and medical advocacy organizations asking them to provide details about the amount of money that they and their directors receive from drug and device makers. Read more, including Senator Grassley's letter, in Thomas Sullivan's Policy and Medicine Blog.

In one of her final acts as NJ Attorney General, Anne Milgram's office has issued a new report, "Physician Compensation Arrangements," recommending limitations to physician-industry relationships for state agencies that go above and beyond guidelines outlined by PhRMA and other organizations.

Although this proposal comes from the office of the outgoing Attorney General, and would be an unlikely top priority for the Christie Administration, many of the recommendations could be implemented in the Garden State without legislation. Recommendations that could soon be implemented include:

• Banning all food, entertainment, etc., paid for by industry, going above and beyond the PhRMA guidelines
• Requirement that doctors report financial compensation of $200 or more from the pharmaceutical industry over the past two years
• Require 25% of physician CME be obtained from evidence-based educational programs or academic detailing (government controlled CME)
• Directive that the NJ Legislature limit commercial use of prescriber data, similar to requirements enacted in New Hampshire and other states

To read a detailed outline and the full report, click here.