States back down on incentive disclosures

US-- Proposed legislation that would have forced the public reporting of, or the entire ban of survey research incentives for healthcare practitioners has been scrapped in Maryland, Rhode Island and Mississsippi.

The various bills were defeated or withdrawn following pressure from the Marketing Research Association.

In Maryland the bills H.1477 and S.196 would have required the disclosure of payments to healthcare professionals by pharma manufacturers. This would have included survey research incentives. The bills would also have forced the public reporting of pharma marketing spend, which would have included payments to physicians for participation in survey research.

The Mississippi bill HB.811 would have required the disclosure of research incentives given to physicians, nurses or even family members.

Rhode Island's H.5645 and S.707 would have banned gifts to healthcare practitioners from pharma companies, including research incentives.

Earlier this month New Mexico brought the axe down on similar legislation.

LaToya Lang, MRA's state legislative director, said: “With more and more states attempting to restrict or publicly disclose research incentives for healthcare practitioners, MRA values every win we can get.”

Author: Marc Brenner