Connecticut joins New York, Minnesota, and many other states by considering SB 270, a bill that seeks to limit physician-pharmaceutical industry interaction. During a debate in late February in a Public Health Committee hearing for the Connecticut General Assembly, the bill’s sponsor, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, said that although “certain pharmaceutical drug companies are taking steps toward self-reform,” there’s still a need for “a state law readily enforceable by state agencies that would protect the physician-patient relationship from drug company influence.” (Transcripts of the testimony are here).

Among the proposed bill’s requirements would be that pharma companies develop a code of conduct and ways to ensure the code is being followed. It would allow companies to directly compensate healthcare providers for presentations at medical education and training that is sponsored by pharmaceutical or medical device companies , but does not allow them to compensate HCPs for time spent participating in CME or educational conferences, meals at CME events, or sponsorship of any independent education that does not meet the Accreditation Council for CME’s Standards of Commercial Support. The bill was referred to the state’s Joint Committee on Public Health in late February.

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