Medications for urologic malignancies in the open payments data: Financial relationships between industry and urologists.

Abstract

74 Background: The Open Payments program was enacted to increase transparency of the financial relationships between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry. We examined the non-research related financial relationships between urologists and industry in the US using the 2014 Open Payments data as it pertains to payments associated with drugs used in the treatment of urologic cancers. Methods: A descriptive analysis of the Open Payments data released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for 2014 was performed. The total payment amount associated with medications prescribed by urologists to treat urologic malignancies was calculated. Results: For drugs associated with all urologic cancers, 44,200 payments, totaling $4,693,561, were made to 5666 urologists. Approximately 82% of payments (76% of the financial value) associated with urologic cancers were for prostate cancer. Of these, payments were primarily associated with anti-androgen therapy ($2,803,435, 79%), followed by hormonal therapy ($672,342, 19%) and chemotherapy ($63,693, 2%). Payments were most commonly in the form of food and beverage (90%), but were only 18% (0.8M) of the total payment amount. Janssen Scientific Affairs reported the largest proportional value of financial ties (24% or 1.1M) but this only accounted for 3% of the number of payments. Conclusions: Nearly 66% of urologists have received a non-research related payment associated with a urologic cancer drug from industry in 2014. Payments associated with prostate cancer drugs were largest in sum and frequency, and consisted largely of payments associated with anti-androgen therapy. This likely coincides with the fact that urologists predominantly prescribe anti-androgens and the recent FDA approval of newer anti-androgens within the last decade.