Consultant Physician

Drug Companies Retain Tight Control of
Physicians’ Presentations*
Whistleblower lawsuits in recent years have accused the firms
of using doctors to push their pills for unapproved uses during
dinner talks.
All told, at least 10 firms have settled such cases for nearly $7
billion in the past three years and have pledged reforms
under threat of further punishment.
All seven companies whose payments are listed in
ProPublica’s Dollars for Docs database say that
physicians must use the slides they provide.
Adhering to the drug company rules, however, can put
speakers in violation of their universities’ policies.
* http://www.propublica.org/article/drug-companies-retain-tight-control-of-physicians-presentations
by Charles Ornstein and Tracy Weber
ProPublica, Dec. 19, 2010, 10:08 p.m.