IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i6p3478-d771701.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Awareness and Perceptions among Members of a Japanese Cancer Patient Advocacy Group Concerning the Financial Relationships between the Pharmaceutical Industry and Physicians

Author

Listed:
  • Anju Murayama

    (Medical Governance Research Institute, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0074, Japan
    School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8574, Japan)

  • Yuki Senoo

    (Medical Governance Research Institute, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0074, Japan)

  • Kayo Harada

    (Medical Governance Research Institute, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0074, Japan)

  • Yasuhiro Kotera

    (School of Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK)

  • Hiroaki Saito

    (Department of Gastroenterology, Sendai Kousei Hospital, Sendai 980-0873, Japan)

  • Toyoaki Sawano

    (Department of Surgery, Jyoban Hospital of Tokiwa Foundation, Iwaki 972-8322, Japan)

  • Yosuke Suzuki

    (Medical Governance Research Institute, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0074, Japan)

  • Tetsuya Tanimoto

    (Medical Governance Research Institute, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0074, Japan
    Department of Internal Medicine, Navitas Clinic Kawasaki, Tokyo 210-0007, Japan)

  • Akihiko Ozaki

    (Medical Governance Research Institute, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0074, Japan
    Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Jyoban Hospital of Tokiwa Foundation, Iwaki 972-8322, Japan)

Abstract

Objectives: Awareness and perceptions of financial conflicts of interest (FCOI) between pharmaceutical companies (Pharma) and healthcare domains remain unclear in Japanese cancer patient communities. This study aimed to assess awareness (RQ1), the influence of FCOI on physician trustworthiness (RQ2), and their perception (RQ3) among the Japanese cancer patient advocacy group members. Methods: A cross-sectional study using a self-administered survey was conducted with a Japanese cancer patient advocacy group between January and February 2019. The main outcome measures included awareness and perceptions of physician–Pharma interactions, their impact on physician trustworthiness, and attitudes towards FCOI among medical and other professions. Furthermore, we performed thematic analyses on the comments which responders provided in the surveys. Results: Among the 524 contacted members, 96 (18.3%) completed the questionnaire, including 69 (77.5%) cancer patients. In RQ1, most of the respondents were aware of physician–Pharma interactions, although the extent differed based on the nature of the interaction. Furthermore, the respondents mainly considered these interactions influential on clinical practice (RQ2) and agreed to the need for further regulation of physician–Pharma interactions (QR3). In qualitative analyses ( n = 56), we identified the 4 following themes: perception towards the FCOI (Theme 1), concerns about the respondent’s treatment (Theme 2), reason of physician–Pharma interactions (Theme 3), and possible solutions from the patient perspective (Theme 4). Conclusions: Most respondents were generally aware of physician–Pharma-associated FCOI and perceived them negatively. Additionally, participants appeared supportive of further FCOI regulation to protect patient-centred care. Abbreviations: FCOI—financial conflicts of interest; United States—US; Pharma—pharmaceutical companies; RQ—research question.

Suggested Citation

  • Anju Murayama & Yuki Senoo & Kayo Harada & Yasuhiro Kotera & Hiroaki Saito & Toyoaki Sawano & Yosuke Suzuki & Tetsuya Tanimoto & Akihiko Ozaki, 2022. "Awareness and Perceptions among Members of a Japanese Cancer Patient Advocacy Group Concerning the Financial Relationships between the Pharmaceutical Industry and Physicians," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-24, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:6:p:3478-:d:771701
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/6/3478/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/6/3478/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Racha Fadlallah & Hala Nas & Dana Naamani & Fadi El-Jardali & Ihsan Hammoura & Lina Al-Khaled & Hneine Brax & Lara Kahale & Elie A Akl, 2016. "Knowledge, Beliefs and Attitudes of Patients and the General Public towards the Interactions of Physicians with the Pharmaceutical and the Device Industry: A Systematic Review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(8), pages 1-34, August.
    2. Genevieve Pham-Kanter, 2014. "Act II of the Sunshine Act," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(11), pages 1-3, November.
    3. repec:mpr:mprres:7329 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. M Murat Civaner, 2020. "A follow-up study on the effects of an educational intervention against pharmaceutical promotion," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(10), pages 1-16, October.
    5. Ozaki, Akihiko & Saito, Hiroaki & Senoo, Yuki & Sawano, Toyoaki & Shimada, Yuki & Kobashi, Yurie & Yamamoto, Kana & Suzuki, Yosuke & Tanimoto, Tetsuya, 2020. "Overview and transparency of non-research payments to healthcare organizations and healthcare professionals from pharmaceutical companies in Japan: Analysis of payment data in 2016," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(7), pages 727-735.
    6. Kirsten E Austad & Jerry Avorn & Aaron S Kesselheim, 2011. "Medical Students' Exposure to and Attitudes about the Pharmaceutical Industry: A Systematic Review," Working Papers id:4237, eSocialSciences.
    7. Hneine Brax & Racha Fadlallah & Lina Al-Khaled & Lara A Kahale & Hala Nas & Fadi El-Jardali & Elie A Akl, 2017. "Association between physicians’ interaction with pharmaceutical companies and their clinical practices: A systematic review and meta-analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(4), pages 1-28, April.
    8. Holbrook, Anne & Lexchin, Joel & Pullenayegum, Eleanor & Campbell, Craig & Marlow, Bernard & Troyan, Sue & Weijer, Charles & Blackmer, Jeff & Brazil, Kevin & Willison, Don, 2013. "What do Canadians think about physician–pharmaceutical industry interactions?," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 112(3), pages 255-263.
    9. Sayaka Saito & Kei Mukohara & Seiji Bito, 2010. "Japanese Practicing Physicians' Relationships with Pharmaceutical Representatives: A National Survey," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 5(8), pages 1-7, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Moriarty, Frank & Larkin, James & Fahey, Tom, 2021. "Payments reported by the pharmaceutical industry in Ireland from 2015 to 2019: An observational study," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(10), pages 1297-1304.
    2. Anju Murayama & Sae Kamamoto & Hiroaki Saito & Kohki Yamada & Divya Bhandari & Iori Shoji & Hanano Mamada & Moe Kawashima & Erika Yamashita & Eiji Kusumi & Toyoaki Sawano & Binaya Sapkota & Tetsuya Ta, 2022. "Pharmaceutical Payments to Japanese Board-Certified Infectious Disease Specialists: A Four-Year Retrospective Analysis of Payments from 92 Pharmaceutical Companies between 2016 and 2019," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-13, June.
    3. Tom Latten & Daan Westra & Federica Angeli & Aggie Paulus & Marleen Struss & Dirk Ruwaard, 2018. "Pharmaceutical companies and healthcare providers: Going beyond the gift – An explorative review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(2), pages 1-15, February.
    4. Rizwan Raheem Ahmed & Dalia Streimikiene & Josef Abrhám & Justas Streimikis & Jolita Vveinhardt, 2020. "Social and Behavioral Theories and Physician’s Prescription Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-25, April.
    5. Racha Fadlallah & Hala Nas & Dana Naamani & Fadi El-Jardali & Ihsan Hammoura & Lina Al-Khaled & Hneine Brax & Lara Kahale & Elie A Akl, 2016. "Knowledge, Beliefs and Attitudes of Patients and the General Public towards the Interactions of Physicians with the Pharmaceutical and the Device Industry: A Systematic Review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(8), pages 1-34, August.
    6. Paul Scheffer & Christian Guy-Coichard & David Outh-Gauer & Zoéline Calet-Froissart & Mathilde Boursier & Barbara Mintzes & Jean-Sébastien Borde, 2017. "Conflict of Interest Policies at French Medical Schools: Starting from the Bottom," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(1), pages 1-13, January.
    7. Ray Moynihan & Brooke Nickel & Jolyn Hersch & Elaine Beller & Jenny Doust & Shane Compton & Alexandra Barratt & Lisa Bero & Kirsten McCaffery, 2015. "Public Opinions about Overdiagnosis: A National Community Survey," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(5), pages 1-13, May.
    8. Harada, Kayo & Ozaki, Akihiko & Saito, Hiroaki & Sawano, Toyoaki & Yamamoto, Kana & Murayama, Anju & Senoo, Yuki & Tanimoto, Tetsuya, 2021. "Financial payments made by pharmaceutical companies to the authors of Japanese hematology clinical practice guidelines between 2016 and 2017," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(3), pages 320-326.
    9. Holloway, Kelly, 2014. "Uneasy subjects: Medical students' conflicts over the pharmaceutical industry," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 113-120.
    10. Jesse R. Catlin & Cornelia (Connie) Pechmann, 2016. "An Investigation of Consumer and Doctor Regulatory Beliefs and Regulatory Knowledge about Pharmaceutical Drug Promotions," Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, University of Chicago Press, vol. 1(3), pages 392-410.
    11. Mulinari, Shai & Martinon, Luc & Jachiet, Pierre-Alain & Ozieranski, Piotr, 2021. "Pharmaceutical industry self-regulation and non-transparency: country and company level analysis of payments to healthcare professionals in seven European countries," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(7), pages 915-922.
    12. M Murat Civaner, 2020. "A follow-up study on the effects of an educational intervention against pharmaceutical promotion," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(10), pages 1-16, October.
    13. Grundy, Quinn & Habibi, Roojin & Shnier, Adrienne & Mayes, Christopher & Lipworth, Wendy, 2018. "Decoding disclosure: Comparing conflict of interest policy among the United States, France, and Australia," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(5), pages 509-518.
    14. Takashi Shiga & Yoshiyuki Nakashima & Yasuhiro Norisue & Tetsunori Ikegami & Takahiro Uechi & Yuhei Otaki & Hidehiko Nakano & Keibun Ryu & Shinjiro Wakai & Hiraku Funakoshi & Shigeki Fujitani & Yasuha, 2020. "Comparison of professionalism between emergency medicine resident physicians and faculty physicians: A multicenter cross-sectional study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(3), pages 1-10, March.
    15. Ansari, Bahareh, 2021. "Industry payments and physicians prescriptions: Effect of a payment restriction policy," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).
    16. Light, Donald W. & Lexchin, Joel R., 2021. "Pharmaceuticals as a market for “lemons”: Theory and practice," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    17. Rose, Susannah L. & Sah, Sunita & Dweik, Raed & Schmidt, Cory & Mercer, MaryBeth & Mitchum, Ariane & Kattan, Michael & Karafa, Matthew & Robertson, Christopher, 2021. "Patient responses to physician disclosures of industry conflicts of interest: A randomized field experiment," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 27-38.
    18. Christian Guy-Coichard & Gabriel Perraud & Anne Chailleu & Véronique Gaillac & Paul Scheffer & Barbara Mintzes, 2019. "Inadequate conflict of interest policies at most French teaching hospitals: A survey and website analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(11), pages 1-15, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:6:p:3478-:d:771701. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.