COVID-19 Leads To Less Industry Spend On Docs, But Not Necessarily Less Influence

Pharmaceutical and medical device companies spent $1.65bn less on payments to doctors and hospitals in 2020 than in prior years, a dip driven almost entirely by a drop in payments for non-research related activities like speaking fees, consulting, travel reimbursement, and meals, new US Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services Open Payments data shows.

Open Payments tracks compensation from drug and device manufacturers to physicians and teaching hospitals. The payments are divided into three major categories: research, general payments or physician ownership and investment...