News in brief - Aug. 11, 2003

Aetna class-action notice in the mail - Survey shows journals better source of drug information than drug reps - Citizen group says medical schools' survey is unethical - "Right-to-die" group changes name

Aetna class-action notice in the mail

Formal notices requiring physicians to decide whether to be part of the Aetna settlement agreement in the nationwide class-action lawsuit or to opt out, have been mailed to physicians. To opt out, doctors must complete the proof-of-claim form included in the notice and return it to the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Florida Miami Division by Aug. 29.

Physicians who decide not to opt out must complete the proof-of-claim form and return it to the court by Sept. 30. Doctors can have the money from the settlement -- an amount expected to be between $75 and $400, according to the California Medical Assn. -- paid directly to them or can have the money go to a foundation -- created under the settlement -- that will find ways to improve the quality of health care. Physicians who do not fill out a claim form will have their portion of the settlement automatically go to the foundation. Aetna was one of more than a half-dozen large health plans that physicians sued in federal court. The lawsuits were combined in the Miami court because of their challenges to the way companies reimburse physicians for services. A final hearing on the Aetna settlement is scheduled for Oct. 14.

Survey shows journals better source of drug information than drug reps

Primary care physicians are more influenced in their prescribing decisions by medical journals and industry associations than by pharmaceutical representatives, according to a new survey.

When asked to identify top influences on their prescribing decisions, 80% cited peer-reviewed clinical journals and 34% mentioned industry associations and meetings. About one in three doctors said drug company representatives were important sources of information, according to a phone survey of 100 primary care physicians conducted in June by Accenture, a management consulting and technology services company.

About half of physicians surveyed said their time and availability were factors that most influenced their willingness to meet with drug reps. Other factors included free samples, existing relationship with the representative, interest in new products and the need for product-specific information.

An Accenture official said some industry leaders are beginning to adopt an approach called "closed-loop promotion," which allows sales reps to present and discuss customized education and information based on ongoing feedback from physician interactions. New software on tablet-sized computers allows companies to update visual aids, clinical reprints, opinion leader videos, case studies and physician surveys.

Citizen group says medical schools' survey is unethical

A consumer-advocacy group says an annual survey medical schools administer to graduating students is unethical in how it is implemented and is a violation of federal privacy laws.

Some schools require completion of the survey in order for students to get their medical degrees. The survey, which is coordinated by the Assn. of American Medical Colleges, is used to track medical education trends and students' satisfaction with their experiences.

Public Citizen says the survey forces students to answer personal questions, such as issues of sexual harassment and personal debt. The group adds that most schools don't request permission from participants to use the data for research or publication and most do not have the survey reviewed by an Institutional Review Board, even though ethical guidelines call for IRBs to review any research on humans, including that of research development and evaluation.

Jordan Cohen, MD, president of the AAMC, responded that Public Citizen misunderstood the nature and purpose of the AAMC Graduation Questionnaire. He said student answers are kept strictly confidential and that identifiable data is released only to the student's own school and only with the student's express permission, and that identifiable data is never released to other schools or to third parties.

"Right-to-die" group changes name

The nation's oldest and largest "right-to-die" organization has announced that it is changing its name from the "Hemlock Society" to "End-of-Life Choices" because it "is a more direct and accurate description of the issues we support," the group's chair, Paul A. Spiers, PhD, said in a press release.

Founded in 1980 and named after the poison Socrates drank, the group is reported to have 30,000 members in the United States and about 70 active chapters. The press release stated that the organization is engaging in advocacy efforts to enact laws that give Americans "freedom to choose a dignified death."