Report: Drug companies paid $23 million to La. hospitals, doctors

Across Louisiana, drug and medical device manufacturers have paid more than $23 million to doctors, hospitals, medical centers and clinics since 2009 for speaking engagements, clinical trials, consulting and more, according to data compiled by the nonprofit investigative journalism group ProPublica. The Shreveport Times reports that in many cases, the money has come from the same companies whose medicines they prescribe. Using publicly released disclosures from drug and device companies, ProPublica’s analysis found more than 36,000 payments to Louisiana doctors between 2009 and 2012. And that’s only the tip of the iceberg. ProPublica’s Dollars for Docs database shows more than $2 billion going to doctors nationwide—and notes the information only represents disclosures from 15 companies, or approximately 47% of the pharmaceutical company market share. Beginning in 2014, under the Physician Payment Sunshine Act, every drug and medical device company will be required to report this information to the federal government. The disclosures, which are required by the Affordable Care Act, will then be made available publicly through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. “Doctors and companies are automatically guilty until proven innocent if you’re looking at this,” says U.S. Rep. John Fleming, R-Minden. Fleming, himself a licensed physician, says that is one of the many reasons he voted against the act. More details are available in the full story here; and you can check out ProPublica’s Dollars for Docs searchable database here.