Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Glaxo Returns To Paying Doctors To Promote Its Drugs, Reversing A Policy Set In Aftermath Of Infamous Marketing Scandals
Stat: Glaxo 'Turns Back The Clock' And Resumes Payments To Doctors
In an unexpected move, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) will resume payments to doctors who help promote some of their medicines, reversing a policy begun five years ago after marketing scandals that led, in part, to an infamous settlement with U.S. authorities. Going forward, the company will pay doctors who speak on its behalf for “select” products in the U.S. and Japan, but this could extend to major markets in Europe, North America, and Asia starting next year. Nonetheless, Glaxo insisted total payments will be “significantly lower” than before the old policy was announced in 2013. (Silverman, 10/2)
Bloomberg: Glaxo Resumes Payments To Doctors Halted Under Ex-CEO Witty
The U.K.’s biggest drugmaker said it will now allow payments to global experts who speak about the science behind its treatments and, outside the U.S., cover travel costs for doctors to attend meetings set up by the company. The total payments will be significantly lower than they were before the current policy was announced, Glaxo said. The move is a change in direction for Glaxo. The company under then-Chief Executive Officer Andrew Witty said in 2013 that it would stop paying doctors to speak on its behalf by early 2016 after the U.S. investigation. Witty in 2012 vowed to clean up Glaxo after it paid $3 billion in a U.S. settlement to resolve allegations it improperly promoted drugs and failed to report safety data. (Paton, 10/2)
