Most US neurologists prescribing MS drugs have received pharma industry cash
Study finds 78.5% of US neurologists prescribing MS drugs received pharma payments.
Why it matters
- Highlights potential conflicts of interest in MS drug prescribing.
- Shows correlation between pharma payments and prescription habits.
- MS drugs are a major expense for Medicare.
By the numbers
- 78.5% of neurologists received payments.
- Total payments: $163.6M over 5 years.
- Top 10% of recipients received 95% of total payments.
The big picture
- Study raises concerns about influence of pharma payments on prescribing habits.
- Higher payments and longer durations associated with higher likelihood of prescribing company's drugs.
- Findings highlight need for transparency and possibly tighter regulations.
What they're saying
- Large disparity in payment amounts among recipients.
- Criticism of pharma marketing to the public.
- Neurologist expresses surprise at direct payments.
Caveats
- Observational study; no cause-effect conclusions.
- Limited to Part D drugs.
- Other factors influence prescribing decisions.
What’s next
- Further research on impact of payments.
- Potential policy changes to increase transparency.