I personally don't think disclosure, or lack of it, is the problem. Let's be real. The information about these disclosures won't get to patients, and in many cases, not even to doctors. I think that doctors should have no ties at all to drug companies.

Hopefully, the current spotlight on the situation will bring that about. But here's an idea in the meantime. It's in the health insurer's best interests to curtail the out of control spending on drugs that is resulting from these partnerships between psychiatrists and the drug companies. Since a big part of this stems from the income gap that psychiatrists perceive, maybe the health insurers should hire psychiatrists as consultants to educate their members about their mental health care? Or to educate general practitioners on how to spot mental illness in their patients? Granted, this could be open to abuse also. But I think it's time to start thinking out of the box. The way things stand now, the drug companies have a nearly open line right to one of its most vulnerable set of customers.

Links

Psychiatric Groups Face Scrutiny Over Drug Industry Ties