Comments on: Will banning drug company sponsorship harm patients? http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/04/will-banning-drug-company-sponsorship.html Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:56:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Quiacthttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/04/will-banning-drug-company-sponsorship.html#comment-91335 Quiact Tue, 12 May 2009 18:31:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/04/will-banning-drug-company-sponsorship-harm-patients.html#comment-91335 It will help patients greatly, and certainly not harm them. It's ridiculous to suggest this question. It will help patients greatly, and certainly not harm them. It’s ridiculous to suggest this question.

]]> By: Doc99http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/04/will-banning-drug-company-sponsorship.html#comment-91139 Doc99 Sun, 03 May 2009 18:19:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/04/will-banning-drug-company-sponsorship-harm-patients.html#comment-91139 The costs of running an educational seminar are so different for teachers and physicians that the it's not apples and oranges but apples and watermelons. Additionally, the prerequisite forms for a medical cme are essentially the staten island phone book. Finally, teachers salaries are fixed and cme's are often funded by the school systems. Teachers' courses, moreover, lead to advanced degrees which lead to higher salaries. Physicians costs are rising while payments are shrinking for a variety of reasons. The days of the "rich doctor" are over. Perhaps the trial lawyers might subsidize physicians' cme. After all, they've been making a great living off the backs of physicians for years. The costs of running an educational seminar are so different for teachers and physicians that the it’s not apples and oranges but apples and watermelons. Additionally, the prerequisite forms for a medical cme are essentially the staten island phone book. Finally, teachers salaries are fixed and cme’s are often funded by the school systems. Teachers’ courses, moreover, lead to advanced degrees which lead to higher salaries. Physicians costs are rising while payments are shrinking for a variety of reasons. The days of the “rich doctor” are over. Perhaps the trial lawyers might subsidize physicians’ cme. After all, they’ve been making a great living off the backs of physicians for years.

]]> By: Leo Wang, MDhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/04/will-banning-drug-company-sponsorship.html#comment-91052 Leo Wang, MD Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:17:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/04/will-banning-drug-company-sponsorship-harm-patients.html#comment-91052 I suppose I don't mind the ban on industry-sponsored CME, although I personally think the fears that their will be undue influence on physicians is overblown. Then again, studies do indicate that physicians are influenced by pharma company spending, so there may be something to it. <br /><br />What bothers me more is the blatant hypocrisy. Doctors are apparently not trusted to keep their patients' best interests in the forefront in the face of industry CME. At the same time, politicians who ultimately will have more say in the healthcare system have no restrictions on how much money they can take from lobbyists. They can go to all the dinners and trips they want. There sure isn't any Hippocratic oath either for politicians. I'm no anti-government libertarian, (in fact I would describe myself as a liberal) but this still bothers the hell out of me. I suppose I don’t mind the ban on industry-sponsored CME, although I personally think the fears that their will be undue influence on physicians is overblown. Then again, studies do indicate that physicians are influenced by pharma company spending, so there may be something to it.

What bothers me more is the blatant hypocrisy. Doctors are apparently not trusted to keep their patients’ best interests in the forefront in the face of industry CME. At the same time, politicians who ultimately will have more say in the healthcare system have no restrictions on how much money they can take from lobbyists. They can go to all the dinners and trips they want. There sure isn’t any Hippocratic oath either for politicians. I’m no anti-government libertarian, (in fact I would describe myself as a liberal) but this still bothers the hell out of me.

]]> By: Supremacy Claushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/04/will-banning-drug-company-sponsorship.html#comment-91049 Supremacy Claus Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:31:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/04/will-banning-drug-company-sponsorship-harm-patients.html#comment-91049 Did you watch the Super Bowl on TV? Did you do it for free or did you pay your fair share of $billion tab? <br /><br />If you watched for free, did any ad influence you so much, you lost control and bought a product you did not want? <br /><br />Most of the critics have irremediable conflicts of interest. So, academics want all CME money to pass through their med school bureaucracy, where the lion share will not end up in CME, but in bureaucrat pockets. <br /><br />Professional societies know that if CME money is cut off, it will have to go through their journal print advertising. <br /><br />Some of the opponents provide inferior, non-competitive CME themselves, and would personally profit from a ban on sponsored CME. Their CME often has the bias of anti-medication extremists, and is worthless or misleading. Did you watch the Super Bowl on TV? Did you do it for free or did you pay your fair share of $billion tab?

If you watched for free, did any ad influence you so much, you lost control and bought a product you did not want?

Most of the critics have irremediable conflicts of interest. So, academics want all CME money to pass through their med school bureaucracy, where the lion share will not end up in CME, but in bureaucrat pockets.

Professional societies know that if CME money is cut off, it will have to go through their journal print advertising.

Some of the opponents provide inferior, non-competitive CME themselves, and would personally profit from a ban on sponsored CME. Their CME often has the bias of anti-medication extremists, and is worthless or misleading.

]]> By: Sharonhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/04/will-banning-drug-company-sponsorship.html#comment-91047 Sharon Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:25:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/04/will-banning-drug-company-sponsorship-harm-patients.html#comment-91047 This argument that if drug companies don't sponsor CME doctors won't be able to afford or access it is ridiculous. There are innumerable opportunities to earn CME credits without going to conferences sponsored by pharma or going through modules designed by them. The majority of physicians live near an academic medical center. Grand rounds are free and provide CME credits. Journals usually have the opportunity to earn CME. Although they are partially sponsored by pharma, since they are peer-reviewed the influence is likely to be less. Conferences also offer such opportunities. This argument that if drug companies don’t sponsor CME doctors won’t be able to afford or access it is ridiculous. There are innumerable opportunities to earn CME credits without going to conferences sponsored by pharma or going through modules designed by them. The majority of physicians live near an academic medical center. Grand rounds are free and provide CME credits. Journals usually have the opportunity to earn CME. Although they are partially sponsored by pharma, since they are peer-reviewed the influence is likely to be less. Conferences also offer such opportunities.

]]> By: GoozNewshttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/04/will-banning-drug-company-sponsorship.html#comment-91044 GoozNews Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:15:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/04/will-banning-drug-company-sponsorship-harm-patients.html#comment-91044 Bad economics, Kevin. Patients and/or insurers pay for CME, either through higher drug/device prices or higher physician fees. Why not get rid of the middleman? I prefer my doctor-patient relationship straight up. Bad economics, Kevin. Patients and/or insurers pay for CME, either through higher drug/device prices or higher physician fees. Why not get rid of the middleman? I prefer my doctor-patient relationship straight up.

]]> By: Daniel Carlat, M.D.http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/04/will-banning-drug-company-sponsorship.html#comment-91041 Daniel Carlat, M.D. Tue, 28 Apr 2009 02:53:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/04/will-banning-drug-company-sponsorship-harm-patients.html#comment-91041 Sorry, but whenever I hear doctors complaining about not being able to afford CME without drug companies subsidizing courses, I hear the strains of the smallest violin in the world. Sorry, but whenever I hear doctors complaining about not being able to afford CME without drug companies subsidizing courses, I hear the strains of the smallest violin in the world.

]]> By: Trisha Torreyhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/04/will-banning-drug-company-sponsorship.html#comment-91040 Trisha Torrey Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:59:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/04/will-banning-drug-company-sponsorship-harm-patients.html#comment-91040 I'm always amazed at this argument made by CME companies that want pharma to sponsor, or drug companies looking for marketing opps.<br /><br />We demand school teachers do continuing education, but nobody subsidizes them. They pay for it themselves, and they don't command nearly the income doctors do.<br /><br />Samples? Just a set up for patients. Free drug samples end up being <a HREF="http://patients.about.com/od/drugsandsafety/a/drugsamples.htm" REL="nofollow">much more expensive</a> than no samples, and a generic prescription. I’m always amazed at this argument made by CME companies that want pharma to sponsor, or drug companies looking for marketing opps.

We demand school teachers do continuing education, but nobody subsidizes them. They pay for it themselves, and they don’t command nearly the income doctors do.

Samples? Just a set up for patients. Free drug samples end up being much more expensive than no samples, and a generic prescription.

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