GSK was introducing a new initiative which she thought would be viewed in time as a very critical step in building and maintaining a high level of patient trust in the medical profession that the patient was at the centre of all decisions, Ms Eimear Caslin, Commercial Director in GSK pharmaceutical business, told the Conference.
Ms Caslin said this was the fifth year GSK had partnered with the HMI in its annual conference.
She said public and private healthcare has had to endure huge amounts of change brought about by the economic downturn and the need to reduce costs and it seemed the pace of change was not going to change soon.
The pharmaceutical sector was also endeavouring to change and she said she would like to think it was changing for the better. The industry was fundamentally changing how it engaged with health professionals. GSK had not been immune from wrongdoing in the past and had paid hefty fines.
We will never provide direct financial support to doctors to speak about our products or to attend conferences.
There were figures suggesting that 23% of the public trusted company CEOs, while 90% of the public trusted their family doctor. Central to that was that a doctor’s decision to prescribe medication or a course of action was based on the best clinical advice available and the best interest of the patient.
Against this background pharmaceutical companies across Europe embarked on new initiatives. From 2016 onwards all pharmaceutical companies operating in Europe would publish details of any transfer value between the companies and individuals or organisations.
“GSK will go a step further. In an effort to remove any possible conflict of interest that may exist between health care individuals and our organisation, we will never provide direct financial support to doctors to speak about our products or to attend conferences.
“I think this will be viewed in time as a very critical step in building and maintaining a high level of patient trust in the medical profession that the patient is at the centre of all decisions.”
