The cost of wining and dining doctors down under

A recent report from Medicines Australia tells how 42 of Australia's drug companies spent $16.4 million on travel, accommodation and hospitality for doctors in the six months to December.

The report, the first of its kind in Australia, was produced on the orders of the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission and covers spending on educational events for doctors. Whilst you may have expected transparency to curb some of the industries' excesses there are still some high spending events included in the report. AstraZeneca, for instance, spent $514,000, including $226,000 on hospitality, on a national symposium for 226 gastroenterologists in Melbourne - $2,275 a head based on total event costs (and a whopping $1,000 per head on hospitality!) Other big spending events are mentioned in this article from the Herald Sun.

In an interview with ABC, Choice - the Australian Consumer organisation - said the report was an illustration of how the industry seeks to influence doctors and called for greater support for independent sources of information such as the National Prescribing Service.

Whist the Medicines Australia report focuses on the drug companies expenditure its also worth remembering that drug companies' influence at these events is not limited to the quality of the venue and the accommodation. This article from the BMJ highlights how drug companies are also involved in the vetting and filtering of conference speakers.