Patients must take responsibility for researching physicians' financial ties to research companies, according to an op-ed by Tracy Weber and Charles Ornstein published in the LA Times.
According to the authors, who write for nonprofit investigative reporting news organization ProPublica, patients can use a database called Dollars for Docs to investigate whether a physician has been paid by any of the 12 research companies currently disclosing this information.
The authors also encouraged patients to ask their physicians directly about ties to drug companies. Patients can ask whether cheaper versions of drugs are available, including older or generic drugs. They should also inquire as to whether drugs have more side effects than those manufactured by competitors, or whether a non-drug solution has been tried for the same condition.
The authors said that while ties between drug and device firms and physicians can spur the development of new medications, the relationships can also cause physicians to misrepresent drugs to patients by downplaying side effects and poor research outcomes.
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According to the authors, who write for nonprofit investigative reporting news organization ProPublica, patients can use a database called Dollars for Docs to investigate whether a physician has been paid by any of the 12 research companies currently disclosing this information.
The authors also encouraged patients to ask their physicians directly about ties to drug companies. Patients can ask whether cheaper versions of drugs are available, including older or generic drugs. They should also inquire as to whether drugs have more side effects than those manufactured by competitors, or whether a non-drug solution has been tried for the same condition.
The authors said that while ties between drug and device firms and physicians can spur the development of new medications, the relationships can also cause physicians to misrepresent drugs to patients by downplaying side effects and poor research outcomes.
Related Articles on Supply Chain:
FDA to Provide Training for Medical Device Reviewers
AdvaMed Study: Device Tax Could Reduce U.S. Jobs, Hamper Innovation
7 Ways to Slash Costs of Surgical Supplies