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Eli Lilly Adds Support for Drug Transparency Laws
By
Michael A. Piekarz
Staff Writer
Amid
increasing governmental and professional concerns about payments
to physicians by pharmaceutical companies, major drug manufacturer
Eli Lilly announced its support for legislation to increase public
trust in the healthcare industry.
Independent studies have shown a significant financial link between the drug
industry and practicing physicians. Ninety-four percent of doctors reported that
they have some type of beneficial relationship with the drug industry.
A recent editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggesting
that physicians should be required to disclose financial ties with the pharmaceutical
industry led to swift Senate action calling for a federally-legislated financial
disclosure law also known as the “Sunshine Act.”
The bipartisan bill (S. 2029) would establish a national registry of payments
to physicians by companies selling medical devices, medical supplies and pharmaceuticals.
In response to the federal action, leading drug maker Eli Lilly and Company came
out in support of the bill.
“Lilly welcomes greater transparency in the healthcare system and believes
this legislation represents an important step in building public trust and confidence
in the relationships between the pharmaceutical and device industries and physicians,” said
John C. Lechleiter, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Eli Lilly
and Company.
Support for the Sunshine Act is the newest addition to what Lilly terms its “transparency
agenda.” In 2004, Lilly became the first company to voluntarily make public
its clinical trials and clinical trials data. That information can be found at
www.lillytrials.com.
Lilly’s announcement of transparency support was quick to draw praise.
“Eli Lilly’s endorsement goes to show that transparency of the financial
ties between doctors and drug makers is not only sensible, but do-able,” said
Senator Herb Kohl, D-Wis., chairman of the Special Committee on Aging and co-author
of the Sunshine Act.
“So many sectors of the health industry are calling for it … physicians,
medical schools, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and now a pharmaceutical
company. We applaud Eli Lilly for endorsing transparency and hope the rest of
the pharmaceutical industry follows their lead,” said Kohl.
Proponents of transparency cite accountability and consumer benefits as the most
important aspects of this legislation. The support of Lilly, a major force in
the drug industry, is considered an important step toward encouraging other companies
to support the idea of transparency.
Senator Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, ranking member of the Committee on Finance, has
recognized Lilly’s efforts. In February 2008, Grassley sent 15 companies
a letter about transparency and called out Lilly’s leadership. That letter
read in part: “I’m asking other pharmaceutical organizations to follow
Lilly’s lead and show the public there’s nothing to hide.”
Lilly believes its support of the Sunshine Act will bolster consumer confidence.
“This will help provide the assurance that Lilly runs its business consistent
not only with our principles, but with the principles that a healthcare provider
or patient should expect from a pharmaceutical company,” said Lechleiter.
He also cited efficiency and uniformity in the reporting of physician payments
as an important factor in supporting the bill.
While currently under harsh scrutiny, the relationship between physicians and
the drug industry has several long-term healthcare benefits. The link serves
as a mutual information system for doctors and manufacturers in developing treatments.
“Physicians perform valuable services for the biopharmaceutical industry,
such as enrolling and caring for patients in clinical trials,” explained
Jack Harris, M.D., Lilly’s vice president, U.S. Medical Division. “They
also give lectures to other medical professionals to educate them about new treatment
options.”
“Moreover,” said Harris, “these services help to advance the
science related to medicines and are important to both current and future patients
who rely on pharmaceuticals as part of their therapy.”
Harris also noted that on many occasions, physicians are compensated at market
rates for the services provided to pharmaceutical companies.
This page and its contents ©2008
Metropolitan News Company, Inc.
