Half of NCI cancer center directors received industry payments in 2017 

About half of all the physician directors of the National Cancer Institute’s centers received more than $4.4 million in industry payments, according to a new survey. Here’s more: 

• The context: In 2017, there were 53 physician directors across NCI’s 16 centers. Twenty-six received industry payments, a rate that’s lower than industry payments to chiefs of academic oncology units. 
• Payment type: Some $2.5 million in 2017 were payments unrelated to research — including consulting fees — and were distributed among 22 directors. Twelve directors received close to $1.9 million in research payments. 
• Payment amount: The largest non-research-related payment to a single director was for nearly $2.3 million for a faculty or speaker. The largest research payment was for $863,000.