Payments from intravascular embolisation device companies to medical professionals and institutions in Japan (2019–2023): An open payment data analysis

Abstract

Introduction

Financial relationships between medical device companies and medical professionals can lead to inappropriate medical care and generate ethical concerns due to potential conflicts of interest. Monitoring this relationship is paramount to ensure that patients receive optimal and affordable care and that costs for medical services are not unnecessarily increased. In this study, we aimed to characterise the payments reported by each company that manufactures vascular embolisation devices to medical professionals and institutions in Japan and evaluate the system of industry payment disclosure.

Methods

This study of industrial payments in the field of intravascular embolisation included a review of disclosed payment data from companies that sell vascular embolisation devices. The payment information reported for the fiscal years 2019–2023 by each company was collected. We evaluated the payment amounts and assessed the data accessibility and quality of industry payment information as secondary outcomes.

Results

Eighteen companies that sold intravascular embolisation devices disclosed their payment information and were evaluated in this study. Payments per company were the highest in 2019 ($13.0 million) and the lowest in 2020 ($9.06 million) when the COVID-19 pandemic occurred: however, they have continually increased since then. All companies received low scores for one quality measure and two accessibility measures.

Conclusion

The payments from vascular embolisation device industry to medical professionals and institutions increased annually from 2020 to 2023 in Japan. Industry payment disclosures published voluntarily by vascular embolisation device companies showed limitations in both transparency and accessibility, highlighting the need for standardized reporting requirements.