Health boards looking to increase transparency

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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