It was almost my turn to be seen, then a pharmacy rep with lots of make up, came in with a delivery boy with food in hand, gave my doc some food, had a little discussion with her.
Then my doc came in , saw me for only 10 min, gave me a prescription, then she went back to eating the food.
2007-11-08 12:15:38 · 9 answers · asked by Hi 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
There is no "kickback" other than the free food, and it's not a good idea to accept this sort of thing. I saw the drug reps because they would provide free samples of expensive meds, such as antibiotics, which I could then give to my patients and save them the expense of paying the pharmacy. I usually knew who of my patients had no insurance and needed help paying for their medications. Pharmacy costs are a real hardship for many people, so anything I could do to help was worth a few minutes of my time being nice to the drug reps. They are just doing their job - pitching their company's brand of medicine. It's advertising for them.
2007-11-08 12:51:16 · answer #1 · answered by Spreedog 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well as I know that's the rep's way of establishing good rapport with the doctor and at the same time it is a part of the strategy to indirectly "bribe" the doctor. With establishment of good relationship, some doctors (others do not take the bait) most likely will back up prescribing medicines endorsed by such pharmacy or medical rep - (symbiotic relationship!)
(Such suggestion is void just in case the rep and the doctor are specially related).
2007-11-08 12:31:08 · answer #2 · answered by ♥ lani s 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because so far they can.
In a way is a situation similar to lobbyists in Washington DC.
Spend a little money to influence prescribing habits.
There's no crime in an occasional lunch or freebie.
But some companies will send Drs. and families on vacation labeled as educational. Or verse large gifts.
The latter is wrong and being addressed by AMA and Congress.
2007-11-08 16:00:46 · answer #3 · answered by alpla 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's advertising. And doctors do have to eat, go to the bathroom, and do all those things other people do. It would be nice if people could get the nice, long visits of days gone by, but it doesn't work that way any more, and ten minutes per patient in primary care is pretty standard these days.
2007-11-08 16:11:19 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
all of them do this. My mom is a nurse and those drug reps are in her workplace daily at lunch time. they usher in lunch and communicate with the docs with regard to the incredible new pills they are promoting. it is the way it works. And it is rather the only time docs ought to take a seat and hear somebody promoting some thing
2016-10-01 22:32:36 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She wanted to sell a certain brand of drug so the doctor would recommend it to patients. It is a sales strategy.
2007-11-08 12:19:28 · answer #6 · answered by dizzy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
drug reps will do this because they want the docs to write scripts for thier medications which means more money for them the docs get a kick back i am sure and that leads to the drug rep also getting a kick back
2007-11-08 12:19:02 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
to garner favor with your doctor and have him prescribe their brands of pharmaceuticals.
2007-11-08 12:18:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
get a new doctor
2007-11-12 12:09:34 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋