The British drug-making giant, GlaxoSmithKline, is making a significant change in its funding of training programs for the doctors. It is planning to reduce the number of doctors that are sponsored and will focus on independent ones with balanced information.

It has caused some other competitors to make similar changes. The most significant change will put an end to the educational funding programs run by commercial medical education and communication companies.

These programs are often found to promote a drugmaker’s new and usually expensive drug while giving little information about the risks involved or whether it is more effective than the older cheaper drug.

Glaxo now declared to only sponsor programs given by national professional medical associations or teaching hospitals and their affiliates, who will be required to seek grants from the company and be accredited.

All approved grants will be posted on a web site: http:/www.us-gsk.com. The company will also start publishing the fee that will be paid to health professionals and doctors for speaking at doctor dinner meetings, consulting services and similar events.

"We will continue funding those with the greatest potential to improve patient health," Deirdre Connolly, Glaxo's president of North American Pharmaceuticals, said in a statement.