Reversing a policy introduced five years ago after a marketing scandal, GlaxoSmithKline will resume payments to physicians who help promote its drugs next year, according to Bloomberg.
Here are five things to know:
1. The British drugmaker's no-payment policy was implemented under former CEO Andrew Witty. He pledged in 2013 to stop paying physicians to speak on the company's behalf by early 2016 in an effort to boost GlaxoSmithKline's reputation.
2. In 2012 GlaxoSmithKline's reputation took a hit after it paid $3 billion to settle allegations of improperly promoting drugs and failing to report safety data.
3. GlaxoSmithKline has now reversed the policy and will begin allowing payments to physicians who speak on its behalf for "select" products next year. In addition, the drugmaker will once again cover travel costs for physicians to attend meetings set up by the company.
4. According to GlaxoSmithKline leaders, the no-payment policy has limited providers' understanding of its products, restricted patients' access to new drugs and left Glaxo at a competitive disadvantage because other pharma rivals failed to follow suit.
5. GlaxoSmithKline said that payments to physicians will be "significantly lower" than those under its old policy.