AstraZeneca suspende pagos...

...para viajes a congresos médicos

LONDON, May 27 (Reuters) - In an industry first, drugmaker AstraZeneca is scrapping payments for doctors to attend international medical congresses.

The move follows increased scrutiny of the $850 billion-a-year industry's potentially undue influence on prescribers and could put pressure on rivals to follow suit.

AstraZeneca chief executive David Brennan announced the change of policy in low-key fashion at an industry conference in Istanbul earlier this month.

"We have decided that we will no longer pay for doctors to attend international scientific and medical congresses but will instead focus our educational efforts on local educational opportunities for healthcare professionals," he said.

As healthcare costs rise worldwide, concern has grown about financial ties between doctors and drugmakers. That has already led to bans on lavish entertainment and the end to a range of free gifts from pens to mugs to computer accessories.

AstraZeneca's decision to stop paying for medics to fly to international medical and scientific meetings has taken things to a new level.

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