GLAXO "cierra puertas" a K.O.L.´s*

GlaxoSmithKline has become the first big drugmaker to stop paying doctors to promote its products in response to mounting pressure on the pharmaceuticals industry over conflicts of interest with medical professionals. 

The UK group will no longer pay medics anywhere in the world to make presentations on its behalf at medical seminars — setting it apart from rivals which still routinely hire senior doctors to educate their peers about drug brands. 

 The new policy, which came into force this week after two years of planning, marks the latest step by GSK to clean up its reputation after a damaging corruption scandal in China and a record $3bn US fine for illegal marketing. 

GSK predicts other companies will eventually be forced to follow its lead in severing some of the financial ties with healthcare professionals that have eroded public trust in the pharmaceuticals industry. 

Other drugmakers continue to argue that paying doctors to speak about their products at medical meetings — ranging from international conferences to local workshops — are a legitimate way to share knowledge about the latest treatments. 

However, Murray Stewart, GSK’s chief medical officer, says doctors paid in this way are increasingly viewed by society as “hired guns”. He says the best way to avoid conflicts of interest is for presentations to be provided by a manufacturer’s own employees.(Más)

(*)  K.O.L. en PHARMACOSERÍAS

Ver:

2001 "A GSK China Odyssey..." / El inicio de la "saga_cidad".