Coalition of Researchers and Data Users Urge White House Support for Survey Incentives Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 6/27/2012 3:20:00 PM A coalition of research associations and professional societies today called upon the Obama Administration to defend the use of respondent incentives in federal surveys. Read More
Legislation Introduced to Protect Marketing Research Companies from Unfair Labor Department Actions Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 6/10/2012 1:27:00 PM Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA-03) has introduced the Research Fairness Act (H.R. 5915) in the U.S. Congress to prevent marketing research participants from being treated as employees of research companies. Read More
Pharma MR wins in Maine and DC but loses in Vermont Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 8/28/2011 9:33:00 AM Recent wins for pharmaceutical marketing research in Maine and DC leave only West Virginia and Vermont as the jurisdictions currently restricting or prohibiting research with physicians and healthcare professionals. Read More
MRA testifies on Vermont S. 104 seeking to legalize research with physicians Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 4/20/2011 9:55:00 AM MRA testified this morning on legislation in the Vermont legislature, S. 104, which would legalize research with physicians. Read More
Bill in Maryland Amended to Exempt Pharma MR Incentives for Doctors - H.B. 818 Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 3/3/2011 5:24:00 PM MRA convinced a state legislator to exempt respondent incentives for marketing research from his legislation, which would have banned most payments from pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers to health care professionals. Read More
New U.S. Health Care Law Contains Huge Victory for Marketing Research Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 3/22/2010 8:56:00 AM The new U.S. healthcare law signed by President Obama today includes the Physician Payments Sunshine Act – and an important win for the survey and opinion research profession. Thanks to lobbying by the Marketing Research Association (MRA) and targeted outreach by MRA grassroots volunteers, the Sunshine Act excludes incentive payments for doctors who participate in marketing research projects. Read More
Minnesota Clears the Way for Survey Research with Physician Respondents Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 2/2/2010 5:21:00 PM The Minnesota Board of Pharmacy has revised the language of an important Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) to ensure that payments to Minnesota health care practitioners for participation in bona fide market research are NOT prohibited or restricted. Read More
Research Profession Testifies Before Joint House & Senate Committee Hearing in Minnesota Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 1/24/2010 5:15:00 PM The U.S. survey and research profession testified today before a joint hearing in the Minnesota House and Senate. The Marketing Research Association’s (MRA) Director of Government Affairs, Howard Fienberg, PLC, defended the use of physician incentives in pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing. Read More
Marketing Research Association Victory in Massachusetts Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 5/28/2009 5:05:00 PM Today, the Marketing Research Association (MRA) announces victory in its lobbying and grassroots actions to protect research with health care practitioners in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Department of Health has issued official guidance exempting market research incentives from the application of the state’s new Marketing Code of Conduct for pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers. Read More
Massachusetts Passes Regulations Harming Research with Healthcare Practitioners Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 4/6/2009 4:54:00 PM Recent regulations passed in Massachusetts will severely hurt research with healthcare practitioners. The Marketing Research Association (MRA) is calling for all members of the research profession in Massachusetts to take action now. Read More