A neuromuscular-based analysis of the open payments program
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Published on: September 13, 2015
Yohei Harada1, Sen Sheng1, Vaishali A Thombre2
1Department of Neurology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
Introduction:
In August 2013, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Open Payments Program (OPP) made eligible payment information publicly available. Data about industry payments to neuromuscular neurologists are lacking.
Method:
Financial relationships were investigated between industry and US neuromuscular neurologists from January 2014 through December 2018 using the CMS OPP database.
Results:
The total annual payments increased more than 6-fold during the study period. The top 10% of physician-beneficiaries collected 80% to 90% of total industry payments except in 2014. In 2018, the most common drugs associated with payments to neuromuscular neurologists were nusinersen, vortioxetine, eteplirsen, alglucosidase alpha, edaravone, and intravenous immunoglobulin.
Discussion:
A substantial increase in the annual payments to neuromuscular physicians during the study period is likely due to the development of new treatments, including gene therapy.
