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» Health boards looking to increase transparency
Health boards looking to increase transparency
Date published: 15/02/2006
Health
boards across Scotland are looking into introducing registers for all medical
staff to allow them to declare if they have any links with drug companies. The
news comes following fears that some of the world's pharmaceutical giants have
too much influence over what drugs some doctors prescribe.
NHS Greater Glasgow has told
the Herald that following a
consultation it hopes to have a register, which would be publicly available, in
place by June.
Shona Robison, MSP and Scottish National Party spokeswoman, told the
paper: "I am not a believer in conspiracy theories and I do not think there are
any great secrets with the medical profession and these companies ? but
transparency in this area would provide reassurance for the patient." Facts
such as whether doctors had accepted hospitality or inducements would be
registered, as well as if a company had paid for them to attend a
conference.
Meanwhile, the British
Medical Association (BMA) has said it welcomes doctors acting openly but
that it does not support the compulsory register. "It should be recognised that
doctors must keep up to speed on new developments and new drugs and one of the
ways that they do this is to meet with pharmaceutical representatives who
explain new products, or by attending conferences which may be partly sponsored
by pharmaceutical companies," said a spokeswoman for the BMA.
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