Many people may not realize that drug companies often hire doctors to promote their products. Doctors will conduct “educational” seminars appear to address the benefits and risks of medications. But these doctors are actually using the seminars to promote a drug for pay. Research completed by ProPublica and National Public Radio have revealed that doctors on company payrolls aren’t actually specialists, which puts into question their role as consultants for the company.
Investigations have revealed the extent of relationships between pharmaceutical companies and the medical community. Johnson & Johnson, Lilly, Cephalon, AstraZeneca, Merck, Pfizer, and GlaxoSmithKline have paid doctors over $257.8 million since 2009. State medical boards have also cracked down on hundreds of doctors for receiving payments. Those doctors who have insufficient credentials now face charges of misconduct.
Doctors’ relationships with companies were previously kept behind closed doors, but the names of 17,000 doctors have now been released in a database for patients. Patients can use the database to see if a doctor has paid for promotion of medicines prescribed to them. Of those in the database, 384 received payments equaling more than $100,000 in the past year-and-a-half, approximating $5,000-$6,000 a month.
As a hip recall attorney, I hope investigations continue into paid doctors who market drugs, and more drug companies reveal names of phyicians who they employ. You might consider contact a hip recall lawyer to find out if you should file a DePuy hip recall lawsuit.
