Drug companies scuttle proposal to reveal wining and dining of doctors

In Australia, a proposal requiring drug companies to publicly reveal hospitality and entertainment provided to doctors at "educational meetings" has been scuttled after lobbying by the pharmaceutical industry.

The proposal arose during the drafting of a code of conduct by the industry body Medicines Australia.

The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission last month authorised the new code, which cracks down on drug companies plying doctors with lobster and caviar, free nights at the theatre or education sessions at wineries and luxury resorts.

The commission originally said it would only authorise the code if it contained a requirement for companies to provide details about educational meetings organised or sponsored by them before the event, and post the information on the internet.

But Medicines Australia, which represents 90 per cent of Australia's prescription medicine industry, said the information could be "misused" by the media or consumers. The media could also gatecrash educational meetings "for ulterior purposes", it said.

The doctors' lobby group, the Australian Medical Association, said in its submission that the disclosure requirement could "serve to expose doctors and the pharmaceutical companies to public derision by people with unfounded prejudices".