How do drug companies bribe doctors for prescribing?

Question

I understand that when I by a prescption drug at a drug store, the drug store must tell the name of the drug and the doctor who prescribed it to a computer system. As I understand it, the drug companies can access this system and then know which doctors prescribe their drug and how to reward them. I understand that they have sales reps who are ex football team cheerleaders, who visit the doctors to see that they are rewarded. I understand that cash is not ok, but there are various things that are allowed, like dinners, golf trips, and even paid speaker positions at seminars. Can someone fill me in on the details? Do you know the laws that authorize this?

Answer 1

I have been in the medical field for about 5 years and have seen alot of drug reps but none of them are ex-cheerleaders. I would say that the majority of them are attractive but not all of them are. They brought lunch and the good ones let you choose what they would bring. They would ask docs to speak and they were paid for their time. The trips are not allowed as far as I understand but they gave samples and other stuff like pens, clipboards, mousepads, etc.. Basically anything to make the name of their drug visible. They have laws regulating what they can accept.

Answer 2

Singularly interesting question. I'm not a lawyer nor am I up on this, but, empirical evidence, as well as the public record wherever information is yet accessible given the public bent toward corruption, there is a concommittant, simple factor.

Personal deviancy.

Either on a personal level or depending on the level of duplicity affected by the population in the repsective town or city the doctor happens to operate in. The comment paralells standard practices generally, not just perks for putting the word out on the ' right ' drug.

Any illegal conspiratorial activity seems to fit the bill. Here's something you might want to look at which, while seemingly irrelevant, and not at all professionally written, I think, does however outline a standard operating procedure which has not changed in nearly a hundred years:

' Prohibition - The Lie Of The Land '

Check on the net or ' Books In Print '

Answer 3

This is not really accurate.

Although some drug companies to a small degree genuinely bribe doctors to write prescriptions this is rare. They try to butter docs up with some of the things you mentioned but not only are there legal restrictions many doctors will not change their prescription choices based on this.

Yes, drug companies like to hire attractive women to be their reps but they must have skill. It's not just ex-cheerleader types.

My best friend has been a rep for a few drug companies and it's serious business. Everything the reps do is tracked and reported, including anything they give the doctors, any samples they hand out, etc.

Even at the biggest drug companies, like P&G there are limits to what they do for doctors to try and get their business.

Answer 4

I practiced for twenty three years. Gone are the days of the "free" Boston Bags, the $500 stethoscopes and what have you. At best, you might get a nice Drug Facts and Comparison book or the latest issue of the Physician's Desk Referrence. Mostly, it's sub sandwiches, donuts and ink pens. Still, it's up to the individual prescriber which med they write for and the reason why (save the governing insurance company -- thanx to Hillary's bright idea to try and make healthcare more affordable -- HMO).

Answer 5

Laws are not authorizing anything, they are banning you of doing something... So it is why the pharmaceutical companies can do this, because there is no laws that forbid it to be entertained by somebody else... If such law did exist then the business world in US would have been pretty dull...

Answer 6

you ever hard the old saying, money is every thing, well thats true here too
money pay offs

Answer 7

they get cash rewards

Answer 8

i understand this isnt worth asking