Another step on the transparency journey for medicines industry

Medicines Australia welcomes the release today of the Transparency Working Group’s model for reporting the payments made to healthcare professionals by pharmaceutical companies.

The Working Group has developed a model similar to the US Physicians Payments Sunshine Act, under which companies must disclose all payments to healthcare professionals over a nominal value.

Medicines Australia chief executive Dr Brendan Shaw said the release of the transparency model for consultation was a key milestone in the process established by Medicines Australia to provide greater transparency to the important relationships between the industry and healthcare professionals.

“The model provides greater transparency in the legitimate payments companies make to doctors and healthcare professionals,” Dr Shaw said.

“Medicines Australia members overwhelmingly support greater transparency so that the nature of their relationships with doctors is open to greater scrutiny. Member companies, like other stakeholders can now examine the detail of the model developed by the Transparency Working Group.

“Transparency is important because it builds public trust and confidence in those relationships.

“Engagement with doctors is important and legitimate because patients want to be sure that their doctors know how to use the medicines they’re being prescribed.

“I thank the Transparency Working Group for investing considerable time and care in developing a transparency model, in particular the chair of the Working Group Dr Dominic Barnes (Shire), and other Medicines Australia Board members who contributed, Geoff McDonald (GlaxoSmithKline) and James Jones (Takeda).

“The working group process has been an encouraging one and an example of constructive cross-sectoral collaboration and dialogue.”

Medicines Australia will now consider the model and consult with its member companies and the broader community. The model will be part of broad industry and external consultation during the review of the Medicines Australia Code of Conduct, which begins in July 2013.

Information on the Working Group, the transparency model and transparency principles can be found here (please follow link)

-ENDS-

Contact Person:

Emma Pearson
Phone: (02) 8281 3280
Email: emma@ogilvyprhealth.com