Does anyone think that Doctors get perks, and incentives for prescribing new drugs? It seems like every time I go to the Doctor's office there is a drug company rep there, sometimes two, or three. Do incentives play a part in the way Doctors write prescriptions?
2006-09-26 16:10:39 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
I have heard that if a Doctor prescribes a lot of a certain medication, the drug company will send him and his family on a Caribbean Cruse Vacation for free! As for the pins and note pads that puts the new drugs name right there in the Doctors face all the time, so he'll be more inclined to prescribe it. Medicine in America has more to do with money and politics than health care. Our health care system is broken, and We The People have to fix it, by becoming more politically active, We all need to vote and write to our representatives, at the state and federal levels, and they have to listen to us, because this is America and The People are the bosses here, not the big oil and drug companies. So start acting like Americans, instead of like North Koreans!!!
2006-09-27 06:05:11 · update #1
no, not really, drug companies are not supposed to give doctors incentives, states are implementing laws to minimise any thing from the company that may look like a gift to influence decision (including lunches, and invitation for conferences etc). everytime you go to the doctors office and see a rep because they are there to reinforce the strengths of their medicine and to provide more samples for the drug they represent, good luck
2006-09-26 16:16:29 · answer #1 · answered by HK3738 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
They have stopped giving them outright gifts worth hundreds of dollars but now the doctor get to go to a rather nice dinner and gets a lecture on a specific drug. I would say that a lot of docs are secumbing to the patient coming in and saying I have restless leg syndrome because they saw it on TV. There was no restless leg syndome until this medicine came out. This is a multibillion doallr industry pushing these drugs on TV. 25 years ago I was told about a minor drug company who was selling hydrocortisone injections. The guy was an ex Drug Rep for this company and he quit when he saw what was happening. They told the doctors that for every $4000 dollars of these drugs they bought they would get a large screen Color TV. One doc bought $16,000 and got 4 TV for his Family and friends. The Rep asked him how he would use that many drugs. "Oh he said, I will just prescribe tem to my patients wheter they need them or not it will not hurt them and they will think I am doing some great for them." However, there is still not enough control over the drug companies. Walgreens Pharmacies sell some genaric drugs I use for fare about $20 for a months supply. I thought that was fair, until I found that Sam's Club Pharmacies (which anyone can use even if not a Sam's Club member as per Federal Statues) are selling this same drug for $5. Even before this recent switch to about 150 differnet drugs by Walmart for $4 a month supply. Tell me if these guys are not making a fortune (Medicare can not negotiate for better drug prices... Private insurance companies are managing the Medicare Drug benifit. Oh we have the best Government that money can buy.
2006-09-26 23:35:36 · answer #2 · answered by arnp4u 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hmmmm.... maybe...
I worked in a hospital where a drug company gave free pain medication to anyone the doctors prescribed it to... for a full year...
about a month after the "free drug" trial period.. a "research" company came in to do a study about what medicines the doctors had prescribed for pain relief over the last year...
coincidence?...
hardly...
the research was funded by the same drug company that had provided the free pain medications...
Most doctors would prescribe the cheapest medication if it would work at all for the patients.. the only time they prescribed something else was for people like me for whom the pain medicine had no effect.. and they tried that brand first anyway.
2006-09-26 23:24:07 · answer #3 · answered by ♥Tom♥ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I work in a dr.'s office, and I can tell you the only perk doctors get is the occaisional free lunch or free educational dinner. And, I don't think it influences them that much because they also talk to their competitors. In the end, the doctor is going to use the drug they feel is best. The drug rep is trying to persuade them.
One good thing about drug reps is they give doctors free samples, which the doctor passes on to patients who sometimes cannot afford the medicine, or to try it out first without paying.
p.s. oh yes i forgot about free pens and post-its. Trust me, that stuff does not influence doctors! Do you really think they care about free pens and clipboards?? give me a break!
2006-09-27 00:56:02 · answer #4 · answered by Becca 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Last time I went to see one Dr. there were more drug reps in his office than patients. But giving him the benefit of doubt, they surround him with everything with the name of their medication on it. This has to have some effect on the next few prescriptions he writes. He doesn't always have time to read all the info on medications. The drug salespeople must have some success in "placing" their products in his mind.
2006-09-26 23:16:37 · answer #5 · answered by San Diego Art Nut 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Now you're getting the message that big business, which includes the drug companies, are running this country. I know for a fact that doctors do get a "kickback/bonus" from the drug companies.
2006-09-26 23:15:42 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
drug manufacturers do provide perks for doctors who are likely to prescribe their drugs. these usually include educational opportunities like lunches, banquets, seminars. tools like facts charts, posters, pens, calculators, clip boards and other handy gadgets. i work in a hospital but i sometimes wish i worked in a doc's office so i can get more goodies. these perks are almost always included as part of an educational offering, otherwise they would be considered "kick-backs"
2006-09-26 23:16:21 · answer #7 · answered by ŧťŠ4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Usually the reps are there to convince the doctors that their medicine is the best. They usually bribe the doctors into prescribing it by giving trial packages. Which the patient is grateful for at first...wow, free medicine...then it's gone and costs you $75 to refill it.
Just my opinion.
2006-09-26 23:15:57 · answer #8 · answered by happytobe1979 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My best friend is a surgeon. He gets incentives like pens, notepads, magnets. Nothing special like a car or jewelry (for me).
That doesn't influence his decision on what prescriptions he writes.
2006-09-26 23:14:03 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes...reps are sent out to doctors. they give the doctors free medication to give to patients...my doc has said numerous times when he gives me a med that isnt sponsored by the by company that the reps get angry
2006-09-26 23:13:37 · answer #10 · answered by George S 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋