Final Rule requires CMOs, GPOs to report annual payments to doctors

A final rule published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requires drug manufactures, including contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) and group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to report annual payments to physicians or investment interests if they are covered by any federal health program.  One of the purposes of the rule is to identify conflicts of interest in medical research, education and practice that could affect treatment decisions. The ruling requests companies to track data beginning in August 2013 and report it to CMS by March 31, 2014, so it can be distributed on a public website by September 30, 2014, as reported in a recent article on outsourcing-pharma.com. The ruling also falls under the “Sunshine Act,” which was intended to create greater transparency in the federal government.  To read the full article on outsourcing-pharma.com, click here. To read the final rule, click here.