Comment on Data shows drug companies paid billions to doctors

Drug and medical device companies paid Texas doctors and teaching hospitals more than $243 million during the final five months of 2013, according to a new, comprehensive accounting of financial ties often criticized as possible conflicts of interest. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services provided the information in an online database, where consumers can search for their hospital or doctor. Research funded by drug and medical device companies is a time-honored method of advancing health care, necessary to get breakthroughs approved by the Food and Drug Administration and make drugs available to patients. Under the new requirements, all manufacturers of drugs, medical devices and medical supplies that have at least one product covered by Medicare or Medicaid must report payments or gifts in excess of $10 that they make to doctors and teaching hospitals. "Texas doctors are in favor of transparency to help patients, and we stress information must be presented with guidance to be of value," Dr.