NY state seeks pharma marketing reform

The US New York State Assembly Health Committee has voted 17 to nine on key legislation to reform how prescription drugs are marketed and sold in New York State. Governor David Paterson's bill, A11187, sponsored by Assemblyman Richard Gottfried (Democrat, Manhattan), includes a ban on gifts of over $50 to doctors and requires those who speak at medical education programs to disclose any financial relationships they have with drug companies (Marketleter May 26).

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, about 90% of the $21.0 billion marketing budget of the pharmaceutical industry continues to be directed at physicians. In addition, an April 2007 article in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed that 94% of the physicians surveyed reported having a relationship with pharmaceutical sales representatives and close to 30% of them received payments from drug companies for consulting and lectures.

Gov Paterson's bill would prohibit a drugmaker from giving payments to a health care provider that exceed $50 in aggregate value each calendar year. Exceptions are made for certain payments that may benefit patients, ie, drug samples. It would also prevent giving false or misleading information at continuing professional education programs and require disclosure of certain potential conflicts of interest in connection with such programs, as well as Pharmacy Benefit Manager transparency.