Menkes and colleagues argue that transparent reporting of drug industry payments to doctors is crucial to managing conflicts of interest. In 2022, New Zealand saw its first disclosures of financial relationships between drug companies and health professionals. While this was a step towards transparency, it was limited, with some payment types omitted. International comparisons show varying reporting standards across countries. Evidence suggests that industry payments influence prescribing, leading to potential harms like unnecessary or inappropriate prescribing. New Zealand’s disclosure regime falls short of best practices, lacking completeness and accessibility. Strengthened disclosure requirements are needed to manage commercial influences in healthcare effectively.
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Raising the bar for disclosure of industry payments to doctors
