Its not often that I get to tell you some good news about the government regarding medicine. But this month is different. Vermont recently passed a law that will require drug and medical device makers to publicly disclose all gifts they provide to healthcare workers. That will include direct payments, speaking and consulting fees, grants, food, lodging and transportation, and books. They will have to squeal by revealing the names, dollar amounts, and medical spending pegged to their gifts.
As you are probably aware, I am highly opposed to most any government intervention into the health arena. But this is one time I think its good. These are regulations imposed on corporations feeding upon you, not on the physicians who try to assist you. True it does target doctors you might be seeing, but since they are taking gifts from entities feeding upon you, I have no problem with them being in the limelight so to speak.
Other states would do well to adopt this type of legislation. Perhaps it would reign in the terrible abuses many physician authors create by writing positively about chemicals in return for receiving these gifts. Please encourage your state legislatures to pass similar laws.
Ref: New York Times, May 19, 2009.