http://www.pharmalot.com/2009/10/merck-gets-religion-embraces-transparency/ News, Comment and Conversation Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:25:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 http://www.pharmalot.com/2009/10/merck-gets-religion-embraces-transparency/#comment-439708 Disgusted Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:06:37 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=19159#comment-439708 This disclosure is simply the tip of the iceberg. For full disclosure, they need to publish what they pay experts, advisors, KOLs, or whatever else you call them. Some of these individuals rake in hundreds of thousands of dollars a year from Big Pharma companies, many of them from multiple companies. Some are on huge yearly retainers for little work. And while we're at it, what are the Big Pharma companies paying these people indirectly through middle-men like CME companies? Several more tens of thousands for a few hours work. Want to see examples of this? Go to the ACC, ACP, ADA or AHA. Company-sponsored symposia all over the place touting the latest drugs. Hundreds of sales reps and marketing geeks preying on docs with all sorts of freebies. Influence-peddling rules and patients suffer! This disclosure is simply the tip of the iceberg. For full disclosure, they need to publish what they pay experts, advisors, KOLs, or whatever else you call them. Some of these individuals rake in hundreds of thousands of dollars a year from Big Pharma companies, many of them from multiple companies. Some are on huge yearly retainers for little work. And while we’re at it, what are the Big Pharma companies paying these people indirectly through middle-men like CME companies? Several more tens of thousands for a few hours work. Want to see examples of this? Go to the ACC, ACP, ADA or AHA. Company-sponsored symposia all over the place touting the latest drugs. Hundreds of sales reps and marketing geeks preying on docs with all sorts of freebies. Influence-peddling rules and patients suffer!

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