title: Non-Research-Related Physician-Industry Relationships of Radiologists in the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate non-research-related, physician-industry financial relationships in the United States, in 2013, as reported pursuant to the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (a provision of the Affordable Care Act).
  
  
  METHODS
  In September 2014, CMS released the first five months (August 2013 to December 2013) of data disclosing physician-industry financial relationships. The frequency and value of non-research-related transfers in radiology were calculated and compared with those for 19 other specialties. Subanalyses of the frequency and value of such transfers in radiology were performed, based on state of licensure, radiologic subspecialty, nature of payment, manufacturer identity, and drug or device involved.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 7.4% (2,654 of 35,768) of radiologists from the United States had reportable non-research-related financial relationship(s) with industry during the 5-month period, the second-lowest level among the medical specialties evaluated. The average value of non-research-related transfers of value to radiologists, excluding royalties and licenses, was low ($438.71; SD: $2,912.15; median: $43.85), with <4% of radiologists receiving >$10 per month. Of all categories, that of food and beverage had the most transfers of value (86.0%; 5,655 of 6,577); royalties and licensure were associated with the greatest average value ($27,072.34; SD: $67,524.92). Although high-value relationships were rare, 57.8% (26 of 45) of radiologists who received a value >$1,000 per month held leadership positions in imaging enterprises.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Less than 4% of radiologists have non-research-related financial relationships with industry that are valued at >$10 per month, suggesting that meaningful, deleterious effects of such relationships on radiology practice, if present, are infrequent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address: hbharvey@partners.org.
authors.forename: H Benjamin
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Tarik K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Alkasab
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Institute for Technology Assessment, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Pari V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Pandharipande
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Institute for Technology Assessment, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Elkan F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Halpern
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Anand M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Prabhakar
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Rahmi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oklu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Daniel I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Joshua A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Institute for Technology Assessment, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: G Scott
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Gazelle
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Brink
mesh_terms: D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007221:Industry / Q000191:economics* / Q000941:ethics; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D008297:Male; D058991:Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act / Q000191:economics; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000191:economics*; D011871:Radiology / Q000191:economics*; D012106:Research; D014481:United States
keywords: Conflict of interest; Sunshine Act; ethics; financial relationship; industry interaction; regulation