Dr. Anderson's Financial Disclosure

At this time, there is no standard regarding informing patients about financial issues related to the practice of medicine. However, I believe patients and potential patients should be aware of the financial relationships that can exist between physicians and other parties, including pharmaceutical companies. Because I believe in informing patients, I have prepared the following information.

As you know, physicians have to have continuing education. They have to keep up with the new information. Financing for much of the education comes from pharmaceutical companies. In some cases, the pharmaceutical companies provide "unrestricted educational grants" meaning that they help pay for the education but have NO control over what is said or discussed. Those are called "continuing medical education" lectures and the pharmaceutical companies typically are not allowed to even hear or attend the lecture; these lectures are reviewed in advance by a committee to make sure that they have no commercial bias.

I often provide continuing medical education lectures. Although these lectures usually are funded by pharmaceutical companies, sometimes I don't even know which company sponsored the lecture. However, the companies have no control over the content of the lecture. They are providing a service to the medical community. Again, these lectures are reviewed by a medical committee to make sure that they do not have any commercial bias.

There is another type of lecture. In some cases, the pharmaceutical companies provide education about disease states for which they make a particular drug, often with mention of that drug. Those lectures are called "medical education lectures." Those lectures are reviewed by the FDA and have to be in compliance with government regulations. Some newspapers like to report that "Doctors who prescribe a lot of drug X are rewarded by being paid to speak about drug X." Although that sounds good in a newspaper, it is not entirely true. If a physician has a lot of experience with a certain medication, it makes sense that a pharmaceutical company would ask that physician to share that expertise with others. A physician who NEVER prescribed certain drug certainly would NOT be able to discuss it with others.

I often provide medical education lectures. For those medications for which I have good expertise, I have been asked to help other physicians and other practitioners better understand them, their risks and their appropriate uses. These lectures are monitored by the FDA and I am subject to federal charges/indictment if I vary from the FDA rules.

It is worth adding that there is a belief that physicians are paid to prescribe certain medications. Please be assured that there are NO payments, NO kickbacks and NO other rebates (or whatever) for having prescribed any drug. This is an incorrect but popular myth.

All this being said, if any patient would prefer that I do not prescribe a medication made by a company that has at one time or another sponsored one of my lectures, I am pleased to find an alternative. This information is presented on a poster in each of my examination rooms as well.

Again, honesty is a good policy.

Finally, at this time, I am aware of no significant investment/stocks in any pharmaceutical, hospital, insurance or medical device company. I have no financial interest in any pharmacy, laboratory, surgery center or diagnostic imaging center.

Someday, this type of information will be required by law. Until then, I will provide it voluntarily here on the web, as I have always done in my office.

-Dr. Anderson

 

 

DISCLOSURE

 

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