Lilly aims to educate consumers on how drug maker collaborates with physicians

INDIANAPOLIS — Eli Lilly has launched its physician payment registry, a website that enables visitors to search payments to individual U.S.-based physicians and the institutions or research organizations that receive payments on behalf of a physician.

The drug maker said that its website, which is in line with its corporate integrity agreement with the U.S. government, aims to show how the company works with U.S. physicians and compensates them for their services and how these collaborations benefit patient care.

How it works: Payments are reported in several categories, including research-related payments, educational programs and other services, such as commercial consulting. The registry also discloses noncash forms of value provided (e.g., business meals), as well as travel expenses paid by Lilly when a physician is performing services for the company. The company noted that 63% of payments reported on the registry are related to research, including clinical studies for investigational medicines.

"When healthcare professionals work together with the pharmaceutical industry, patients benefit from our combined expertise," Lilly's U.S. medical division VP Jack Harris said. "Through these collaborations, we are able to develop innovative medicines, improve health education and better understand patients' needs. Without our joint efforts, new medicines could never reach the millions of patients who need better treatment options for diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, depression and Alzheimer's."

Click here to view the physician payment registry.