As most of you probably know, there is a great deal of advertising to doctors to try to get us to choose one medication over another. Finally, medicine is shifting away from this practice, as we doctors come to realize that much of it is not in our patients’ best interest.
More and more medical schools are banning the practice of drug reps visiting doctors to encourage the use of their particular medications. U Penn was one of the 1st medical schools to limit this common tradition. My national medical organization, the American Psychiatric Association, is now phasing out pharmaceutical and other health industry sponsorship at our annual meetings.
No more lunches. No more pens. And although I was tempted, I just declined a drug-sponsored dinner at Philly’s fanciest restaurant, Le Bec Fin. I’m actually very happy about this shift away from drug company influence. Doctors can now better treat patients based on medical evidence and without possibe conflicts of interests.
I guess I’ll just have to get my husband to take me out to that chic French restaurant for our anniversary instead!
Readers, any thoughts pro or con on this change in medical practice?
6 responses so far ↓
Jaap NS // Jun 10, 2009 at 1:46 am
good articles, thanks buddy
Diana // Jun 10, 2009 at 9:37 am
I’m very enthusiastic about this trend. Drug reps do not present the full picture about the drugs they are paid to push and I think this makes it difficult for busy doctors truly weigh the pros and cons of the latest meds for their patients.
JM // Jun 10, 2009 at 10:27 pm
Last week a drug rep who had stacked samples in a little pyramid on a counter intercepted my doctor after she’d called me in from the packed waiting room. So I came back out from the doc’s office to interrupt their chat and suggest to the rep it would be more efficient to speak to the six doctors all at the same time, a time when they were not seeing patients, instead of trying to grab them individually. I and the other people who’d been waiting had appointments. She did not. I call that rude and inconsiderate, and then the doc is supposed to take her info seriously?
Sarah // Jun 11, 2009 at 8:54 am
I want to say, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! as someone else said doctors don’t always get all the information on the drugs. Just as sometimes the drug reps may not have the latest info themselves. It makes me feel very uncomfortable to go see my Dr. and there seems to be a drug rep there with samples, the next thing I know, I’m being offered or suggested that I should try one of their products. DOCTORS please treat us as individual patients. I/WE know you are busy, but I/WE put our lives/trust in you and your medical training.
Dr. Connelly // Jun 12, 2009 at 10:38 am
This is one of the biggest problems in healthcare today. The drug companies do not make money if you are healthy!!!
Be an educated consumer. Drug companies sponsor continuing education credits – it is like an infomercial!!!! Sad but true.
Sherrie Sisk // Jun 15, 2009 at 10:32 am
I am VERY happy to hear about this trend. It’s a real problem, and I hope that by educating future doctors early about it, we’ll see some real institutional change.
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