Q. What does GSK pay healthcare professionals to do?
GSK speakers share their significant knowledge and experience in therapeutic area, disease state and GSK treatment options with peers and colleagues to help improve patient care in their clinics and practices. Sharing information on disease states is important for advancing patient care and healthcare professionals often learn best from their peers and colleagues.
GSK’s advisors share their expertise with us. Because these advisors possess unique insight and knowledge in their various fields, they can help us to better evaluate scientific issues or data and respond to the emerging needs of patients and other healthcare professionals.
Q. Does GSK offer these healthcare professionals training?
Before speaking on behalf of GSK, a healthcare professional must complete training to ensure that they follow the guidelines that govern their role as speakers, and that they meet their responsibilities to the FDA, peers, colleagues, and patients.
Q. What qualifications are required to become a GSK speaker or advisor?
We work with healthcare professionals who are highly-qualified and well-respected by their peers and, in the case of speakers, they must also be a good speaker.
Q. Why does GSK compensate healthcare professionals for speaking and consulting services?
Healthcare professionals outside of the company provide legitimate and important insight into their various fields. That helps us meet patients’ needs and they should be fairly compensated for that work.
Q. How does GSK decide what to pay these healthcare professionals?
We base the payment on the fair market value for the services provided by the individual, which takes into account the individual’s qualifications, experience and knowledge in the area in which he or she is providing services to GSK.
GSK has set a limit on payments to US healthcare professionals for speaking or advising.
Q. Can healthcare professionals opt out of having their information included?
No.
Q. Is GSK doing this globally?
Yes but it will be later in 2010 before similar reports are published in Europe and Asia-Pacific/Japan and Emerging Markets. These reports may also have a different format.
Q. Are payments to clinical investigators for research services included in the listing?
No, not at this time. The current list includes payments to US-based healthcare professionals made between April 1 and June 30 for speaking and advising.
In the future, GSK will disclose research payments made to healthcare professionals and their institutions. (In March 2009, GSK pledged to begin with payments to US healthcare professionals or their affiliated institutions for research studies that start in 2010. It is anticipated that the posting will occur in the first quarter of 2011. The policy will then be extended to healthcare professionals and institutions outside the U.S.).
The initial US disclosure will include payments for all GSK research (GSK-sponsored and GSK-supported) at all stages of drug discovery and development that involves a US healthcare professional as the principle investigator.
The exact timing for the disclosure of research-related payments outside of the US has not been finalized.
Q. Wouldn't my medicines cost less if you didn't pay physicians all this money?
These healthcare professionals provide an important service to GSK.
With respect to speakers, their communication with their peers is important to make sure that GSK best meets the needs of healthcare professionals and patients and to effectively communicate to healthcare professionals regarding patient care and our medicines.
With respect to advisors, these healthcare professionals help us to better evaluate scientific issues or data and respond to the emerging needs of patients and other healthcare professionals striving to advance patient care.
In both cases, these healthcare professionals provide legitimate services to GSK and they should be fairly compensated for that work. Payments to these individuals for such services are based on the fair market value of the services they provide.
Q. Is there a number that I can call for more information about the HCP Fee Disclosure Listing?
Yes, anyone can call our Response Center at 1-888-825-5249. (Hours are Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Eastern Time.)
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