Distributions of Industry Payments to Massachusetts Physicians.

The authors comment on the financial link between pharmaceutical firms and health care professionals based on data from the Massachusetts Department of Health and Human Services. According to the data, the average total payment per physician during the 2010-11 period rose from 4,637 dollars to 4,944 dollars. The authors point out a possible explanation for the decline in overall payments and numbers of physicians during the period. Information on the Physician Payment Sunshine Act is given.