Fewer U.S. Docs Accepting Perks from Industry

But nearly 84% still report some relationship with companies, results show

From a November 8, 2010 Health Day news item By Robert Preidt

MONDAY, Nov. 8 (HealthDay News) — U.S. physicians‘ links with drug makers, medical device manufacturers and other health-related companies have decreased since 2004, but many doctors still have ties to these businesses, new research shows.

A 2004 survey found that about four out of five doctors accepted gifts of food and beverages from industry in their workplaces and more than 75 percent were given drug samples. In addition, more than one-third accepted reimbursement from companies for professional meetings or continued medical education, and more than one-quarter accepted payment for consulting, speaking or clinical trials.

The new 2009 survey of 1,891 primary care physicians and specialists found that nearly 84 percent reported some type of relationship with industry in the previous year. Nearly two-thirds (63.8 percent) accepted drug samples, about 70 percent received food and beverages, 18 percent received reimbursements, and 14 percent were paid for professional services.

The findings are published in the Nov. 8 issue of the journal Archives of Internal Medicine [free full text article].

Certain types of specialists were more likely to have industry ties. For example, these connections were more common among cardiologists (92.8 percent) than psychiatrists (79.8 percent). The type of practice also made a difference.

“Physicians in solo or two-person practices and group practices were significantly more likely than those in hospital and medical school settings to receive samples, reimbursements and gifts. However, physicians in medical schools were most likely to receive payments from industry,” the researchers wrote.

“These data clearly show that physician behavior, at least with respect to managing conflicts of interest, is mutable in a relatively short period,” the study authors concluded. “However, given that 83.8 percent of physicians have physician-industry relationships, it is clear that industry still has substantial financial links with the nation’s physicians. These findings support the ongoing need for a national system of disclosure of physician-industry relationships.”

SOURCE: JAMA/Archives journals, news release, Nov. 8, 2010

 

 

NLM announces MedlinePlus Connect

From a posting by  GMRLIST – email list for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine-Greater Midwest Region (NN/LM-GMR) members. Written by Samanthi Hewakapuge, MA, MLS, Consumer Health Coordinator

Today NLM [US National Libraries of Medicine) announces MedlinePlus Connect (http://medlineplus.gov/connect), a free service that allows electronic health records (EHR) systems to link users to MedlinePlus (http://medlineplus.gov), an authoritative up-to-date health information resource for patients, families and health care providers. MedlinePlus provides information about conditions and disorders, medications, and health and wellness.

MedlinePlus Connect accepts requests for information on diagnoses (problem codes) and medications. NLM mapped MedlinePlus health topics to two standard diagnostic coding systems used in EHRs: ICD-9-CM and SNOMED CT CORE Problem List Subset.

When an EHR submits a request to MedlinePlus Connect, the service returns the closest matching health topic as a response.  MedlinePlus Connect also links EHR systems to drug information written especially for patients. For medication codes, MedlinePlus Connect accepts RXCUIs and NDCs. The API for using this service conforms to the HL7 Context-Aware Knowledge Retrieval (Infobutton) Knowledge Request URL-Based Implementation specification.

MedlinePlus responds to problem code requests in either English or Spanish. Currently, it supports requests for drug information in English only.  NLM is working on adding laboratory test responses to MedlinePlus Connect. We will also support an XML-based Web service at a future date.

You can find more background and technical information at http://medlineplus.gov/connect. If you are an EHR owner or developer interested in staying up-to-date on technical developments with MedlinePlus Connect, or talking to other organizations that are using it, join the free email list athttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/connect/emaillist.html. To send questions or feedback, use the MedlinePlus Contact Us link athttp://apps.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/contact/index.cfm.

 

FDA reclassifies certain digital mammography devices

From a November 4, 2010 US Food and Drug Information (FDA) news release

 

For Immediate Release: November 4, 2010

Media Inquiries: Dick Thompson, 301-796-7566, dick.thompson@fda.hhs.gov

Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA

FDA reclassifies certain digital mammography devices

Devices capturing digital image of breasts to be Class II

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that it is easing the pathway to market for mammography systems that produce computerized X-ray images of the entire breast.

These systems, known as Full Field Digital Mammography Systems, are an alternative to mammography systems that produce X-ray film.

When first approved by FDA in 2000, digital mammography systems were categorized as a high risk or Class III device, because they were then considered novel systems for screening and diagnosing breast cancer.

Since then, digital mammography has been well-validated in scientific studies involving tens of thousands of patients. The benefits and risks of digital versus film mammography have also been well -described to physicians. As a result, the FDA has decided to reclassify digital mammography from Class III devices to Class II or medium risk devices…….

…

For more information:

Federal Register Notice

Mammography

Special Controls Guidance

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Infant Mortality and Pregnancy Loss (Knowledge Path and Resources for Families)

From GMRLIST is an email list for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine-Greater Midwest Region (NN/LM-GMR) members, this item written by Samanthi Hewakapuge, MA, MLS, Consumer Health Coordinator

The Maternal and Child Health Library at Georgetown University released a new edition of the knowledge path, Infant Mortality and Pregnancy Loss.  The knowledge path directs readers to resources that analyze data, report on research aimed at identifying causes and promising intervention strategies, and describe risk-reduction efforts as well as bereavement-support programs. Separate sections present resources about factors that contribute to infant mortality and pregnancy loss: birth defects, injuries, low birthweight and prematurity, preconception and pregnancy, and safe sleep environments.

The knowledge path was created for health professionals, policymakers, researchers, and families. View the path online at  http://www.mchlibrary.info/KnowledgePaths/kp_infmort.html. A resource brief for families accompanies the knowledge path and is available at http://www.mchlibrary.info/families/frb_infmort.html.