No Free Lunch

Do doctors prescribe medications based on successful marketing? Absolutely. Drug company marketing departments are counting on it. There's a reason why millions of dollars are spent annually on the marketing of drugs.

Because it works...




Since 1995, research and development staff of U.S. brand name drug companies has decreased by 2%, while marketing staff has increased by 59%. Currently, 22% of staff is employed in research and development, while 39% are in marketing.

From pens to stethoscopes, the typical American doctor's office is wallpapered with drug company advertising. These goodies, as well as "medical information" are generally delivered to healthcare professionals by sales people or "drug reps," who may make up for lack of medical training with attractiveness and eloquence. Physicians learn early in medical school that gift giving by pharmaceutical companies is a standard practice and do not recognize that the acceptance of gifts may result in conflicts of interest. While their patients may be forced to choose between eating or taking meds, physicians are wined and dined by drug reps. During physician conferences and expos, it is not uncommon for doctors to stand 30-deep to pick up free toys.

What are the implications of all this? Big business greed is controlling the health and pocketbook of the average American. This story must be told and these industry secrets must be revealed. Who knew that a "free lunch" would be so costly?

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• No
• Free
• Lunch

[oursmedicina]

Great video, well done Monica...courageous to try to document this!

[oursmedicina]

wow, citygirl -- so many replies... i wonder who you work for?

[oursmedicina]

ha educate doctors by giving them coffee mugs and pens? better way to educate them are by journals not by giving gifts

[oursmedicina]

So we don't need to regulate pharma? The US sadly profits from disease while others profit from preventing disease

[robrigo80]

no free lunch is such a joke. Holyier than thou bullshit hippies who hate capitalism and love the socialist agenda. go f$#@ yourself.

[HolySpringRolls]

stupid capitalists.

[Matanumi]

love the ending- symbolic

[Matanumi]

what free market?

[rwhite1012]

Pharma is the most over regulated industry in the country. Doctors do not have the time or inclination to read up about all the new drugs that come to market, so reps do serve a purpose. The lunches and dinners are NOT the invention of drug companies. They have become the only and often demanded way to see the doctor and most time you end up feeding overweight and ungreatful office staff!! Almost every bit of medical research is possible due to drug company grants, medicine is a business!

[orangenapple]

Pharma companies are like any other profit making organisation. It is naive for anyone to expect them to give away items expecting nothing in return. For any doctor to get a pen and be expected to write out a script is ludicrous. It doesn't happen. These are educated people and the information they receive or are told is, of course, going to show the drug in it's best light. It is a responsibility upon the doctor to be more thorough and ask questions to uncover everything about a drug.