Prescription Drugs--Gifts and Trips, 4/7

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Unfortunately, health care corruption in this country doesn't end with the FDA; it has infiltrated the whole system. Drug companies regularly use trips, dinners, cash and free drugs to "persuade" doctors to prescribe new and expensive pharmaceuticals, according to many sources. These bribery expenses pay for themselves many times over, as the most popular drug may not be necessarily the most effective or the one with the least number of side effects, but rather the one that has been promoted and advertised the most.

Now, of course, the pharmaceutical companies disguise their bribes under the altruistic term "gifts," but Natural Alternatives author Michael T. Murray finds the term suspect, asking poignantly, "If the drug company didn't expect the gift to influence the doctor's decision, why would it give the gift?" He goes on to clarify, "A gift implies that there are no strings attached." As much as they would not like to admit it to others, or especially to themselves, doctors know that these "gifts" are linked to an ulterior motive, according to Dr. Jerome P. Kassirer in his book, On the Take. In other words, you may not always be able to trust your doctor to make an objective decision about your care.

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Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Klonopin
• lexapro
• wellbutrin
• baycol
• biaxin
• xl
• lipitor
• nexium
• advertising
• side
• effects
• doctors
• students
• bribery

[paulswebdiscounts]

Big Pharma gives away gifts to professionals, brainwashing them into brand loyalty. Kickbacks are given in the "name of education, not marketing". This is exactly how psychiatrists get away with prescribing pills like candy, never questioning their usefulness. Further, these docs do not care if something happens to you or me while we withdraw from anti-depressants. Billions are spent on protecting and promoting the drug companies. The more money spent, the less rights we have.

[smokinaces100]

Well put. 100% agree. And we, the consumer, should not buy into this...

[wdtony]

Legalized drug dealing. Pitiful.