To see, or not to see, that is the question: can public disclosure really improve transparency between medicine and the pharmaceutical industry?

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To critically review the potential effect of the public reporting of pharmaceutical company payments to healthcare professionals on the relationship between medicine and industry. METHOD: This review is based on an examination of the 'Transparency Model' put out recently for consultation by Medicines Australia. RESULTS: Public reporting in itself will neither sharpen the boundaries between medicine and the pharmaceutical industry nor restore public confidence. CONCLUSIONS: Focusing on payments for clinical research and on the larger payments to healthcare professionals would lead to a better understanding of the interplay between science and marketing.