Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline Disclose Fees Paid to Doctors

Pfizer Inc. paid $177 million and GlaxoSmithKline PLC paid $85 million during 2010 to U.S. doctors and medical institutions for their work on clinical trials and other serives, the companies disclosed Thursday.

The drug makers have been criticized in the past for using payments to doctors to influence prescribing patterns or promote the unauthorized use of drugs. While other pharmaceutical companies have disclosed payments to doctors, Pfizer is the first to disclose payments for the clinical trials. The disclosure is part of a trend towards more transparency, although neither company disclosed payments outside the U.S. disclosures included elements not required by the federal agreement, like payments to academic centers and to nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

Soon, the companies won’t have a choice to reveal payments: beginning in 2012, drug and medical device companies will be required to disclose payments to doctors of more than $10, with the first report available in 2013. The Physician Payment Sunshine Act was passed as part of health care reform. The government plans to make the data available in a publicly searchable database.

The companies have said the payments are necessary to help conduct research and to educate physicians about the authorized uses of their drugs.

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