Healthy Skepticism Library item: 19149

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Rothman SM, Raveis VH, Friedman A, Rothman DJ
Health Advocacy Organizations and the Pharmaceutical Industry: An Analysis of Disclosure Practices
Am J Public Health 2011 Jan 13;
http://ajph.aphapublications.org/cgi/content/short/AJPH.2010.300027v1

Abstract:

Health advocacy organizations (HAOs)
are influential stakeholders in
health policy. Although their
advocacy tends to closely correspond
with the pharmaceutical industry’s
marketing aims, the financial
relationships between HAOs and the
pharmaceutical industry have rarely
been analyzed. We used Eli Lilly and
Company’s grant registry to examine
its grant-giving policies. We also
examined HAO Web sites to determine
their grant disclosure patterns.
Only 25% of HAOs that received Lilly
grants acknowledged Lilly’s
contributions on their Web sites,
and only 10% acknowledged Lilly as a
grant event sponsor. No HAO
disclosed the exact amount of a
Lilly grant. As highly trusted
organizations, HAOs should disclose
all corporate grants, including the
purpose and the amount. Absent this
disclosure, legislators, regulators,
and the public cannot evaluate
possible conflicts of interest or
biases in HAO advocacy.