Vermont psychiatrists receive most money from pharma companies

Pharmaceutical companies increased spending on marketing in Vermont by 33 percent for fiscal year 2007, with psychiatrists receiving the largest payments, according to Vermont Attorney General’s Office report on Pharmaceutical Marketing Disclosures.  

• 84 pharmaceutical manufacturers reported spending more than $3 million in Vermont on fees, travel expenses, and other direct payments  
• Payments from Eli Lilly, Pfizer, UCB, Novartis, and Merck accounted for 56% of the spending
• 11 psychiatrists received a total of $626,379, or approximately 20% of the total value of payments
• Psychiatrists received on average $56,944
• Physicians specializing in cardiovascular disease received the second largest aggregate amount
• The top 20 drugs represent 7% of all drugs for which disclosures were reported, but accounted for 62% of total marketing expenditures on specific drugs