GMC says it can’t force doctors to disclose payments from drug companies

The UK General Medical Council has admitted that it does not have the legal power to force doctors to disclose details of payments and benefits they receive from the pharmaceutical industry—either on the new database of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) or the GMC’s own register.

Last week the ABPI published the Disclosure UK database (www.disclosureuk.org.uk) listing details of the fees and benefits in kind paid by the pharmaceutical industry to doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and healthcare organisations.1 However, only healthcare professionals and organisations consenting to being identified were named, and the remainder of the information was published in aggregate form.

The ABPI admitted that …