Comments on: Do drug company logos influence medical students? http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/05/do-drug-company-logos-really-influence-medical-students.html Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:27:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: GG Freemanhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/05/do-drug-company-logos-really-influence-medical-students.html#comment-91510 GG Freeman Tue, 26 May 2009 17:20:09 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=29905#comment-91510 I for one LOVED having drug reps come talk to us during lunches during 3rd and 4th year rotations - and not just because of free lunch, but for the review of information.Sure, they are salespeople, but they are smart enough to realize that, to a medical student, we just want to know HOW DOES THE DRUG WORK and how it compares to other drugs in it's class in vivo. They are also smart enough to know that we know they are sales people so their info is biased.The idea that my decisions on what drugs to use based on logos and sales pitches, is pretty insulting. I'm sure there is trend data to support that marketing works, but ask yourself this, how many drug reps spend any time "selling" Viagra, Oxycontin or Tetanus Vaccine. ... in other words, when something just WORKS, we use it regardless. I for one LOVED having drug reps come talk to us during lunches during 3rd and 4th year rotations – and not just because of free lunch, but for the review of information.

Sure, they are salespeople, but they are smart enough to realize that, to a medical student, we just want to know HOW DOES THE DRUG WORK and how it compares to other drugs in it’s class in vivo. They are also smart enough to know that we know they are sales people so their info is biased.

The idea that my decisions on what drugs to use based on logos and sales pitches, is pretty insulting. I’m sure there is trend data to support that marketing works, but ask yourself this, how many drug reps spend any time “selling” Viagra, Oxycontin or Tetanus Vaccine. … in other words, when something just WORKS, we use it regardless.

]]> By: Michael Kirsch, M.D.http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/05/do-drug-company-logos-really-influence-medical-students.html#comment-91506 Michael Kirsch, M.D. Tue, 26 May 2009 14:44:40 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=29905#comment-91506 I think that the anti-corruption brigades against physicians can go too far. See http://mdwhistleblower.blogspot.com/search/label/Conflicts%20of%20Interest While true abuses should be ferreted out and sanctioned, we should not be zealously attacking every conflict of interest as if they are all corrupt and evil. They aren't, but it can be easy to portray them as improper. I think that the anti-corruption brigades against physicians can go too far. See http://mdwhistleblower.blogspot.com/search/label/Conflicts%20of%20Interest
While true abuses should be ferreted out and sanctioned, we should not be zealously attacking every conflict of interest as if they are all corrupt and evil. They aren’t, but it can be easy to portray them as improper.

]]> By: Rishihttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/05/do-drug-company-logos-really-influence-medical-students.html#comment-91464 Rishi Mon, 25 May 2009 02:16:41 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=29905#comment-91464 Good to know this right before starting medical school. :-) Good to know this right before starting medical school. :-)

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