Drug Industry Marketing Tactics During Psychiatrists Conference Raise Concern

An influx of pharmaceutical marketing during the American Psychiatric Association's annual meeting in Philadelphia last week has raised concerns among some psychiatrists that the industry's "aggressive promotional activities" are influencing which psychiatric medications are prescribed, the Washington Post reports (Vedantam, Washington Post, 5/26). About 4,000 pharmaceutical representatives attended the conference, where they displayed expensive exhibits and distributed free promotional materials (Knight Ridder/Arizona Republic, 5/26). In several dozen symposia, companies paid the association about $50,000 per symposium to control which scientists' papers were presented and to help shape the presentations." Such marketing efforts, critics say, "til[t]" psychiatry toward a reliance on using medications and away from "insight-oriented psychotherapies" to treat those with mental health problems. This "near-total focus" on drugs also has contributed to a recent rise in medical costs, the Post reports (Washington Post, 5/26). Although drug industry marketing is not limited to psychiatry, psychiatrists have "become a particular target" for drug companies, as behavioral medications account for nearly 25% of industry sales (Barry, Boston Globe, 5/28). However, the drug marketing during the APA conference is considered "unusual" because most major medical associations prohibit industry-sponsored symposiums at their conferences, the Post reports (Washington Post, 5/26).

APA Defends Marketing
APA officials defended the presence of pharmaceutical company representatives during the conference and funding from the industry, saying that without such support, the annual meeting would lose education benefits and amenities (Boston Globe, 5/26). Drug industry funds have become increasingly important to the APA, as revenue from membership dues has dropped from $11 million in 1998 to $9.9 million last year. APA officials added that some of the industry money goes toward advocacy efforts for people with mental illnesses. Further, the company-sponsored symposiums, which are monitored for any "signs of bias or marketing," allow doctors to "screen ... studies for scientific accuracy," APA officials said (Washington Post, 5/26). The APA also labeled company-sponsored events and segregated them from other activities at the conference (Knight Ridder/Arizona Republic, 5/26). APA officials said there are no "simple solutions" to curbing industry influence among psychiatrists (Washington Post, 5/26). However, the pharmaceutical industry is implementing new regulations that aim to control gift-giving. Beginning July 1, the industry no longer will offer doctors "pure entertainment," such as a concert, or cover travel expenses for nonacademic health care professionals (Boston Globe, 5/28).