The state already has a bill requiring such disclosure for drug companies.
The proposed bill from Sen. John Marty (DFL-Roseville) would also require disclosure to patients about financial relationships between manufacturers and physicians, and would ban the giving of gifts to physicians, according to the Star Tribune.
The proposed bill does include a few exceptions including free drug samples and payment for research.
In October, Sen. Marty penned a column entitled, "’Gift Ban’ Needed to end Medical Conflicts of Interest" which appeared in several places on the Internet including the senator’s Facebook account.
In the column, he wrote, "Last spring, I introduced legislation to close loopholes in Minnesota’s law banning gifts from drug companies. The proposal would ban all gifts, not just those over $50. My legislation would include medical device manufacturers under the gift ban, prohibit excessive compensation to doctors for consulting services, and require doctors to disclose to their patients any financial arrangements that they have with drug and medical device companies.
"Passage of this legislation will eliminate the conflict of interest. That is good not only for the consumer’s pocketbook; it also ensures that the care they get is based on their doctor’s unbiased judgment."
Read the Star Tribune’s report on the Minnesota medical disclosure bill.
Read Sen. Marty’s column.
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