Characteristics of Top-Searched Individuals in Japan’s Yen for Docs Conflicts of Interest Database During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose Transparency in healthcare has led to increased public disclosure of doctors' conflicts of interest, with the "Yen for Docs Database" in Japan emerging as a pivotal source. Nevertheless, there remains ambiguity regarding the backgrounds and influence of highly-searched persons, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary objective of this study was to examine if the database was utilized for its intended purpose in 2021, a year marked by the introduction of vaccines and treatments, the addition of new COVID-19-related data, and the frequent appearances of expert statements in various media outlets. Methods We conducted a descriptive analysis on the 10 most frequently searched individuals in the "Yen for Docs Database" between August 27 and September 23, 2021, and determined the amount of money they received from pharmaceutical companies and other organizations over the four-year period between 2016 and 2019. To characterize frequently searched individuals' academic profiles and appearances in the mass media, we identified their h-index and affiliation, their activity on Twitter, and the number of TV appearances. Results There were 72,904 searches during the study period, with the top person accounting for 4,905 of those searches. All top 10 were male, mostly affiliated with universities and specialists in infectious diseases or related fields. Their median number of COVID-19 articles was five, and the median h-index was 34. Four of these top 10 had Twitter accounts, with followers ranging from 12,000 to 195,000. The median amount received from pharmaceutical entities over four years was $154,930, ranging from $809 to $705,502. Conclusions In the Yen for Docs Database, a significant portion of searches during the COVID-19 pandemic was concentrated on a selected group of healthcare professionals with considerable payments over the years, and they exhibited prominent academic and media profiles. These observations highlight the need for more transparent conflicts of interest disclosure among physicians with public visibility.