PPC Press Release

August 6, 2008

Hallowell, Maine — Prescription Policy Choices (PPC) offered its support to federal legislation on prescriber education which was introduced on Friday.  The bill would provide a much-needed source of funding for prescriber education, also known as academic detailing, in the form of a two-pronged grant program supporting 1) the development of independent, objective educational materials on the relative efficacy, safety and cost of prescription drugs and 2) the delivery of this material by trained clinicians through in-person meetings in prescribers’ offices.

“Potential federal funding is a major step forward for prescriber education initiatives and further evidence of the growing momentum surrounding academic detailing,” said Ann Woloson, Executive Director of Prescription Policy Choices.  “It doesn’t make sense to rely on pharmaceutical sales representatives for unbiased, comparative information on the products they sell.  Academic detailing removes the conflict of interest and gives doctors the objective information they need to make the best prescribing decisions for their patients.”

In July, PPC released a report on best practices in academic detailing based on the experiences of existing programs which also offers insight into how programs can work collaboratively for maximum impact with limited funding.  The report is available at www.policychoices.org.

The bill, known as The Independent Drug Education Act (IDEA),  was introduced in the Senate by U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Herb Kohl (D-WI), Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Ted Kennedy (D-MA), and Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and in the House of Representatives by House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) and House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ).

Several dozen major health care and advocacy organization such as Consumers Union signed on to the list of supporters alongside PPC.

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Prescription Policy Choices is a nonprofit public policy organization engaged in education and research on prescription drug issues.