Australian drugmaker expenses in limelight

In the six months to last December, 42 of Australia's pharmaceutical companies spent A$16.4 million ($11.5 million) in travel, accommodation  and entertainment. Almost 400,000 health professionals received the  hospitality at more than 14,000 separate events. The figures are  published for the first time in a report released by the country's main  drug company trade group, Medicines Australia, and were produced on the  requirement of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, as  part of the association's Code of Conduct.

Consumer advocates say there is no doubt the pharmaceutical companies  are trying to buy the opinions of doctors and they want the largesse to  stop, reports the local ABC News. Christopher Zinn, the spokesman for  the consumer group Choice, speaking on the television program The World  Today, stated: "we think it's fair enough for [the drug companies] to  talk to doctors, to give them information, but actually there are other  systems, the national prescribing service for example, sends out people  to talk to doctors to give them information. Now that's something that's  totally independent."

Industry defends its position