New requirements in the federal health care reform reveal 259 Iowa doctors received nearly $1.9 million in payments from pharmaceutical companies during an 18-month period.
Pro Publica is an independent, non-profit group that conducts investigative journalism. It has taken lists from seven different drug companies and found about 17,000 American doctors have been paid to speak to other doctors about certain pharmaceutical products from January of 2009 through July of this year.
Eli Lilly, the Indiana-based company that makes brand name drugs like Cialis and Prozac — spent nearly a million dollars paying Iowa doctors fees to conduct “professional education” programs.
GlaxoSmithKline — maker of Boniva and Nicoderm — is the world’s third-largest pharmaceutical company. It paid Iowa doctors over half a million. London-based AstraZeneca spent almost $142,000 on fees for Iowa doctors. One of AstraZeneca’s most recognizable brands is Prilosec.
Pfizer is the world’s largest pharmaceutical company, but it spent far less than its competitors in Iowa, paying doctors in the state about $87,000. Three other companies — Johnson and Johnson; Merck and Cephalon — spent between $20,000 and $30,000.
Here’s the list of 259 Iowa doctors who received payments from those seven drug companies. It includes a Fairfield doctor who received more than $125,000 from Eli Lilly over the 18-month period for conducting professional education programs, and for advising and consulting.