(ST. PAUL, MN) --Jan. 25, 2010 --
Too many conflicts of interest exist between the
pharmaceutical industry and Minnesota’s physicians,
undermining health and contributing to the skyrocketing costs of
prescription drugs.
That’s why, today, a
broad-based group of
organizations pledged to join together and work at
the State Capitol to improve the way prescription drugs are
prescribed and to bring down drug costs for individuals,
government entities and providers.
“Frustration about the
pharmaceutical industry’s marketing practices is at an
all-time high,” said Pete Wyckoff of Community Catalyst,
who directs the work of the coalition.
“Minnesota’s consumers, doctors, health care
providers and policymakers believe that there must be something
done to curb the influence of the pharmaceutical industry on the
health care system. No one should
come between decisions made between doctors and patients –
certainly not the pharmaceutical industry.”
Spending on marketing and promotional
goods by the pharmaceutical industry is estimated at nearly $30
billion – much of it directed at those who prescribe
medications. The coalition is
working to reduce the current conflicts of interest and to make
sure that Minnesota patients get the highest quality
prescriptions available by giving doctors nonbiased research information.
The Coalition includes
AARP, Allina, Consumer Worker Coalition (RWJ
initiative), HealthPartners, HennepinCountyMedicalCenter, Mature
Voices Minnesota, Park Nicollet, National Physician Alliance-MN,
Take Action Minnesota, Minnesota AFL-CIO, Minnesota Nurses
Association, Labor/Management Healthcare Coalition of the Upper
Midwest, StratisHealth and UCare Minnesota.
Dr. Chris McCoy, a physician in
Rochester, and head of the National Physicians Alliance spoke
about how many doctors feel about the current marketing practices
of pharmaceutical companies.
“Trust in the medical profession is slipping away as
pharmaceutical companies buy influence through our systems,”
said McCoy.
“Families and patients need to
trust that doctors are making the best decisions, based on
nonbiased information.”
Later today, three pieces of
legislation will be heard at a joint interim hearing of the
Senate Commerce and Labor Committee and the House Business,
Industry and Jobs Committees. National experts will testify
about how these proposals have worked in other states:
-
Legislation that will prohibit pharmaceutical
companies from buying doctors’ prescribing records and
using the information to target their marketing to individual
doctors.
Pharmaceutical Data Mining:
S.F. 1044 (Sen. John Doll) and H.F. 491 (Rep. Tina
Liebling)
-
Legislation that will ban gifts to providers from
pharmaceutical manufacturers and improve transparency and
reporting laws that more clearly define relationships between
health care providers and pharmaceutical companies.
Pharmaceutical and
Medical Device Gift Ban
:
S.F. 1237 (Sen. John Marty) and
H.F. 1641(Rep. Tina Liebling)
-
Legislation to establish an “academic
detailing” program to give physicians nonbiased
information to make the best and most cost-effective decisions
about prescriptions.
Independent Prescriber Education Program
“Academic Detailing”
S.F. 895 (Sen. Kathy Sheran) and H.F. 1640 (Rep. Tina
Liebling)
For more information about
these initiatives and the work of the coalition, visit
www.minnesotaprescriptioncoalition.org
.
Volunteers Meet with Rep. Erik Paulsen
