The research, led by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland , found Ireland is the fifteenth highest recipient of payments from the medical device industry, prompting calls from the researchers for the implementation of statutory obligations on reporting.
The study found that between 2017 and 2019, 116 medical device companies disclosed over €425 million in “education” payments across 53 countries, presenting significant potential for conflicts of interest. The research, which is the largest ever study of conflicts of interest within the European medical device industry, was published in the journal Health Policy and Technology.
“We think it shows a need for a mandatory system like the one they have in the US or France or Italy. The main reason these systems have been developed in other countries is as an anti-corruption measure,” he said.