1) Ghost-writing medical articles appears to be wide-spread, as JAMA exposed when examining the Vioxx studies.

My take: The blame goes far beyond Merck. Journal editors and the authors themselves bear responsibility.

These articles amount to nothing more than propaganda. Any study funded by a pharmaceutical company has to be viewed with a skeptical eye.

2) A Massachusetts physician group boasts that all their practices have patient openings.

My take: Want to know what the most powerful marketing tool is? Physician access. We have come to a point where availability is becoming a crucial physician trait.

When specialists come to my office to introduce themselves (and generate referrals), the first thing I look for is how soon a patient can get in. It doesn’t matter how good a doctor you are if you don’t have access.