Pfizer paid out $35 million to 4,500 healthcare professionals in the second half of 2009, the company reported.

The figures cover payments, meals and “non-monetary educational items” worth $25 or more and totaling $500 or more, including compensation for speaking and consulting, CME and conducting clinical trials.

Around 44% of the reported payments went to approximately 250 academic medical centers and other research organizations for clinical trials, the company said, accounting for $15.3 million that covered recruitment, coordination and execution of clinical trials and completion of “compliance activities.”

Pfizer reviewed more than 180,000 transactions and consulted patients, researchers and healthcare professionals on the format of its report, which can be viewed at www.pfizer.com/WorkingWithHCP. The company will provide full-year 2010 data on March 31, 2011, and, in compliance with its August 2009 Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General, will include the value of all financial interactions including non-monetary items such as meals and educational items regardless of value.