Open Pharma wants public to know ties between MDs and pharmaceutical industry | OurWindsor.ca

"If you live in the United States, you can easily find out if your doctor receives payments from drug companies. Ditto if you live in Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Denmark and many other European countries.

But not Canada.

This country is seen as an international 'laggard' when it comes to transparency about financial ties between the pharmaceutical industry and physicians.

But there is a growing chorus of voices demanding change in the name of quelling concerns about conflicts of interest in the marketing, prescription and study of drugs.

A new national campaign is being launched calling on the federal government to mandate public disclosure of all payments and transfers of value — for example, gifts and meals — from drug makers to doctors.

The Open Pharma campaign — spearheaded by resident physician Dr. Andrew Boozary and backed by some big names from the world of health care and academia — is seeking to build public awareness and momentum for federal action."