Study design setting, and participants
We conducted a retrospective analysis of payment data publicly disclosed by major pharmaceutical companies in Japan. The aim was to examine the extent and trends of personal payments made to all board-certified allergists in the country. The analysis included all allergists certified by the Japanese Society of Allergology as of February 2022. The Society, established in 1952, is the preeminent professional organization for medical researchers and physicians specializing in allergy in Japan and is the sole credentialing body for allergists in the nation. As of the specified date, 3,943 allergists were recognized as board-certified by the Society[22].