Comments on: Accepting drug perks, or hiding the fact that you did. What’s worse? http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/04/accepting-drug-perks-or-hiding-fact.html Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:09:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Quiacthttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/04/accepting-drug-perks-or-hiding-fact.html#comment-91334 Quiact Tue, 12 May 2009 18:30:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/04/accepting-drug-perks-or-hiding-the-fact-that-you-did-whats-worse.html#comment-91334 Both, and neither should be done. Both, and neither should be done.

]]> By: Resident Anesthesiologist Guy (RAG)http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/04/accepting-drug-perks-or-hiding-fact.html#comment-91092 Resident Anesthesiologist Guy (RAG) Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:17:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/04/accepting-drug-perks-or-hiding-the-fact-that-you-did-whats-worse.html#comment-91092 If I'm so dangerous and stupid that I can't be held responsible amongst pharmaceutical reps, then why am I given Rx pads, the option to write for almost whatever medication I want for a patient, and the power to order tests/ treatments, etc. for them? Why am I entrusted to perform invasive procedures, placing powerful drugs into their nervous system, and impaling their blood vessels with all manner of instruments to monitor and maintain their hemodynamics? I think the reps are worthless, but the belief that you can't trust physicians to not have the wool pulled over their eyes by "Big Pharma" is absurd. If we honestly have that little faith, then why in the hell trust your physician with anything? If I’m so dangerous and stupid that I can’t be held responsible amongst pharmaceutical reps, then why am I given Rx pads, the option to write for almost whatever medication I want for a patient, and the power to order tests/ treatments, etc. for them? Why am I entrusted to perform invasive procedures, placing powerful drugs into their nervous system, and impaling their blood vessels with all manner of instruments to monitor and maintain their hemodynamics? I think the reps are worthless, but the belief that you can’t trust physicians to not have the wool pulled over their eyes by “Big Pharma” is absurd. If we honestly have that little faith, then why in the hell trust your physician with anything?

]]> By: Sampsterhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/04/accepting-drug-perks-or-hiding-fact.html#comment-91062 Sampster Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:54:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/04/accepting-drug-perks-or-hiding-the-fact-that-you-did-whats-worse.html#comment-91062 I agree with the first anonymous comment. I feel like this post ignores the fact that medical students could be applying the tape to keep themselves from having to look at a company name 20 times a day. <br /><br />I think that's a completely legitimate thing to do. To assume that covering pharmaceutical names implies a kind of self-righteousness seems a bit unfair. I agree with the first anonymous comment. I feel like this post ignores the fact that medical students could be applying the tape to keep themselves from having to look at a company name 20 times a day.

I think that’s a completely legitimate thing to do. To assume that covering pharmaceutical names implies a kind of self-righteousness seems a bit unfair.

]]> By: Jameshttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/04/accepting-drug-perks-or-hiding-fact.html#comment-91060 James Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:10:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/04/accepting-drug-perks-or-hiding-the-fact-that-you-did-whats-worse.html#comment-91060 To VendorMD, that's just the attitude the company wants you to have. Keep on telling yourself you know better, but studies show you don't. <br />http://www.nofreelunch.org/ To VendorMD, that’s just the attitude the company wants you to have. Keep on telling yourself you know better, but studies show you don’t.
http://www.nofreelunch.org/

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/04/accepting-drug-perks-or-hiding-fact.html#comment-91058 Anonymous Wed, 29 Apr 2009 01:23:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/04/accepting-drug-perks-or-hiding-the-fact-that-you-did-whats-worse.html#comment-91058 I'll stop accepting pens and pads with drug logos that day that patients stop seeing commercials about prescription medications.<br /><br />If a my high school dropout patient is smart enough to understand that he needs lipitor (and no other drug) to lower his cholesterol then my medical school diploma should allow me to come to the same conclusion.<br /><br />Americans are bombarded with ads for everything - furniture, toothpaste, dishwasher soap, and medicines. It's part of life. If you make it to adulthood and don't recognize propaganda, you'll be prescribing "alternative medicine," not prescription drugs. I’ll stop accepting pens and pads with drug logos that day that patients stop seeing commercials about prescription medications.

If a my high school dropout patient is smart enough to understand that he needs lipitor (and no other drug) to lower his cholesterol then my medical school diploma should allow me to come to the same conclusion.

Americans are bombarded with ads for everything – furniture, toothpaste, dishwasher soap, and medicines. It’s part of life. If you make it to adulthood and don’t recognize propaganda, you’ll be prescribing “alternative medicine,” not prescription drugs.

]]> By: VendorMDhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/04/accepting-drug-perks-or-hiding-fact.html#comment-91054 VendorMD Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:01:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/04/accepting-drug-perks-or-hiding-the-fact-that-you-did-whats-worse.html#comment-91054 Does someone really think that a 50 cent pen can really buy a physicians' integrity??? I will be surprised and horrified, if even a single physician puts 50 cents before his patients' wellbeing.<br /><br />In my opinion this issue of focusing on pens and paper pads is a misdirected campaign. It is a way to shift attention from high drug prices which have not come down, despite clamping on these petty pens! Does someone really think that a 50 cent pen can really buy a physicians’ integrity??? I will be surprised and horrified, if even a single physician puts 50 cents before his patients’ wellbeing.

In my opinion this issue of focusing on pens and paper pads is a misdirected campaign. It is a way to shift attention from high drug prices which have not come down, despite clamping on these petty pens!

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/04/accepting-drug-perks-or-hiding-fact.html#comment-91053 Anonymous Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:24:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/04/accepting-drug-perks-or-hiding-the-fact-that-you-did-whats-worse.html#comment-91053 As a med student I did this all the time, and don't think it was necessarily unethical or duplicitous. The duct tape was not to prevent the patient from seeing the logo of the pharm company, it was to prevent ME from doing so. A pen is then just a pen, instead of a Viagra pen or a Lipitor pen. As a med student I did this all the time, and don’t think it was necessarily unethical or duplicitous. The duct tape was not to prevent the patient from seeing the logo of the pharm company, it was to prevent ME from doing so. A pen is then just a pen, instead of a Viagra pen or a Lipitor pen.

]]> By: Evan Falchukhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/04/accepting-drug-perks-or-hiding-fact.html#comment-91050 Evan Falchuk Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:58:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/04/accepting-drug-perks-or-hiding-the-fact-that-you-did-whats-worse.html#comment-91050 I bet most patients don't realize how often their doctors are solicited by drug and device companies. <br /><br />But I also suspect most doctors are not so credulous as to do something they would not otherwise do because of those solicitations.<br /><br />Why not disclose all of this? <br /><br />Wouldn't it be better if patients knew how this whole process works? <br /><br />If patients knew the influences that might be affecting their doctor's judgments, they could ask about them, and decide on their own if they think the advice their doctor is giving them is sound or tainted.<br /><br />If you've not been inappropriately influenced, or you've been influenced but it's because you happen to think the drug company is right about their drug, why should you be ashamed? I bet most patients don’t realize how often their doctors are solicited by drug and device companies.

But I also suspect most doctors are not so credulous as to do something they would not otherwise do because of those solicitations.

Why not disclose all of this?

Wouldn’t it be better if patients knew how this whole process works?

If patients knew the influences that might be affecting their doctor’s judgments, they could ask about them, and decide on their own if they think the advice their doctor is giving them is sound or tainted.

If you’ve not been inappropriately influenced, or you’ve been influenced but it’s because you happen to think the drug company is right about their drug, why should you be ashamed?

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