Merck&Co, the American drug giant, decided in 2009 to make public data on payments made to doctors who acted as opinion leaders for the company and its products. The decision supports the requests of an American bill called the "Physician Payments Sunshine Act", wanted by Iowa Republican Senator Charles Grassley, which however has not yet been approved. However, Merck declares "it wants to act in this sense even without the presence of an ad hoc regulation". In addition, the company emphasizes that it intends, starting this month "to begin to improve the transparency of our agreements with patient organizations, scientific societies and other organizations by publishing on the website the agreements established by the Global Human Health division and the organizers of professional initiatives, such as continuing medical education programs". Merck has decided to make available for consultation all the data of the trials in which the company is engaged.
Il Sole 24 Ore Sanita' of 28/10/2008 N. 42 28 OCT.-3 NOV. 2008 p. 18
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