[Ip-health] NJ considers pharma, devicemaker gift reporting

[Sarah Rimmington]

1. Philadelphia Inquirer: NJ weighs requiring reporting doctors' gifts
2. FierceHealthCare: NJ mulls pharma, device maker gift reporting

1. N.J. weighs requiring reporting doctors' gifts
It would join four states that already call for the tracking by
pharmaceutical and medical-device firms.
By Karl Stark
Inquirer Staff Writer
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/business/20070919_N_J__weighs_requiring_reporting_doctors_gifts.html

New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram said she would convene a task
force today to consider if the state should require drug firms and
medical-device-makers to report gifts they give to physicians.

New Jersey has one of the nation's largest concentrations of drug firms,
serving as home base to Merck & Co. Inc., Johnson & Johnson, and many
others.

Milgram, a career prosecutor and a registered Democrat, said: "I don't
want to prejudge the situation, but I do know we have had examples of
wrongdoing."

"I want to be confident that my doctor is prescribing the best drug for
me, not something in his financial interest," she said. "I think it's an
important public issue regardless of where companies are located."

Among the panel's 16 members, she noted, is Lisa Goldman, assistant
general counsel at Pfizer Inc. Other members include Karen Ali, acting
general counsel of the New Jersey Hospital Association, and New Jersey
Department of Health and Senior Services Commissioner Fred Jacobs.

Milgram said the meeting today would be private, but that the committee
would likely hold a public meeting before it issues recommendations in
about six months. "What financial incentives are there and what
information is publicly available are two of the main questions we want
to ask," she said.

In a statement, Ken Johnson, senior vice president of the Pharmaceutical
Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), said there were already
many safeguards in place. The voluntary PhRMA Code, he said, already
calls all forms of entertainment, including competitive sporting events
and games of golf, inappropriate. "The guidelines also say that only
modest meals should be allowed, and gifts should not exceed $100 in value."

Bills that call for reporting payments to doctors by pharmaceutical and
medical-device firms have passed in four states - Vermont, Maine,
Minnesota and West Virginia - and the District of Columbia.

U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa) and Herb Kohl (D., Wis.) have
introduced a bill to require makers of drugs, medical devices and
biologics to disclose the value of what they give to doctors. The
legislation would require the secretary of Health and Human Services to
create a Web site and post payment information. Penalties would range up
to $100,000 per violation.

In addition, New Jersey State Sens. Ellen Karcher (D., Mercer) and
Joseph F. Vitale (D., Middlesex) have introduced Senate Bill 2660,
requiring doctors to tell patients about money and gifts over $25 that
they have accepted from pharmaceutical firms in the last year.

Contact staff writer Karl Stark at 215-854-5363 or kstark@phillynews.com.


2. FierceHealthcare, September 19, 2007
NJ mulls pharma, device maker gift reporting

New Jersey's attorney general has created a task force to study whether
the state should require disclosure of pharma and device-maker gifts to
doctors. Attorney General Anne Milgram says she's aware of "examples of
wrongdoing," but wanted to know more before she made any
recommendations, noting that panel members include Pfizer assistant
general counsel Lisa Goldman.

In considering such a measure, Milgram is following the lead of four
other states, including Vermont, Maine, Minnesota and West Virginia
(along with the District of Columbia) which have passed laws
establishing reporting requirements.  She's also in step with national
trends. Right now, the Senate is considering a measure which would
require drug makers, medical device and biologics manufacturers to
disclose the value of physician gifts.

To find out more about the proposed requirements:
- read this article from The Philadelphia Inquirer:
www.philly.com/inquirer/business/20070919_N_J__weighs_requiring_reporting_doctors_gifts.html

Related Articles:
Psychiatrists getting largest pharma gifts. Report
NY bill would require pharmas to report MD gifts. Report
NH ban on prescription data use overturned. Report
Doctors weigh in on pros and cons of accepting drug/device freebies. Letters
States tighten screws on pharma marketers. Report

--
Sarah Rimmington
Attorney
Essential Action, Access to Medicines Project
Washington, DC
Tel: (202) 387-8030
Cell: (202) 422-2687
www.essentialaction.org/access/