Drug company methodologies used for reporting in the UK pharmaceutical industry payment transparency database between 2015-2019: A content analysis

Abstract

Background Pharmaceutical companies make hundreds of millions of pounds in marketing/R&D-related payments annually to healthcare organisations and healthcare professionals. UK pharmaceutical industry self-regulatory bodies require member companies who sign up to their code of conduct to publish details of their payments. They are also required to publish the methodologies underlying these payments - methodological notes. This study aimed to analyse UK pharmaceutical companies’ methodological notes and their adherence to the relevant codes of conduct and guidance.