Hemophilia doctors: prescribe 290k/yr drugs and take money from Pharma

How much factor is necessary? Are these the doctors to tell us?

Just out in Thrombosis research, we map payments from Pharma to hemophilia doctors. Hemophilia is an inherted bleeding disorder, but thankfully we have many drugs that can replace the missing factor. Yet, there is nearly no good evidence about how much of these drugs to give, in what situation and for how long, and many experts have invented goals or standards that use them loosely. The drugs are insanely expensive— 290k per person per year on average— and trials are needed to figure out just how much to give. The problem is: the companies got the docs.

In our analysis we find hemophilia doctors are making sizable money from Pharma. 80% got some payment, and Directors of Hemophilia centers averaged nearly $5000 a year in payments. Nearly 20% are getting over 10k per year.

The money is spread across the country, and highest in some states like Wisconsin, Michigan and Connecticut.

The problem with this conflict is that you are telling me: the person who decides how much factor to give has (a) very little good data to decide upon goal thresholds (b) a super costly product and (c) is taking money from the company that wants you to use more of it. The whole thing is crazy.

I do think these doctors should choose. Do they want to be faithful arbiters of evidence or do they want to work for the companies? Data shows you can’t be both.

Remember to look up hemophilia docs here