An undercover investigation has found that some NHS staff charge up to £15,000 to organise "advisory board" meetings for drugs companies.
Many of the meetings take place in five-star hotels around the world, with some attendees telling this newspaper that they were taken to "flashy" restaurants and paid large sums while considering whether to "switch" drugs.
Health service staff who take part in "advisory boards" for pharmaceutical companies argue that their involvement helps them to make "best use" of NHS money by analysing drugs and providing expert advice.
However these disclosures will prompt concerns about a potential conflict of interest between NHS staff and drugs companies and raise questions about the impartiality of public sector staff who control budgets worth millions of pounds.
Certainly glad none of that nonsense is taking place here in the States.