Leaders in Urologic Education and their Relationship to Industry: An Analysis of Sunshine Act Open Payments from 2014-2016.

OBJECTIVES: To examine trends in the financial relationship between biomedical companies and leaders in urologic education during the first three full calendar years since implementation of the Sunshine Act.

METHODS: All accredited American Urological Association (AUA) residency programs were identified using the AUA website. Urology program directors and department chairs of the affiliated institutions were identified using residency program or urology department websites. Urology journal editors who practice in the U.S. were identified using the SCImago Journal & Country Rank website. All identified individuals were categorized by urologic subspecialty and AUA region based on information stated on their corresponding websites. Payment data for each individual from 2014-2016 was accessed using the CMS Open Payments website, and statistical analyses were performed to elucidate trends based on leadership position, urologic specialty, AUA region, payment type, and overall payments over time.

RESULTS: Out of the 239 urologists identified, 85%, 78%, and 91% received some sort of payment in 2014, 2015, and 2016, respectively. Department chairs accepted payments more readily than program directors and journal editors in all years. Average total payments for all urologists increased yearly, with mean general payments trending down and mean research payments trending up.

CONCLUSIONS: The Sunshine Act was passed in part to promote transparency of the physician-industry relationship. Though the proportion of urologic leaders accepting payments between 2014 and 2016 did not change significantly, increased public scrutiny could have contributed to the decrease in yearly general payments and the increase in yearly research payments.