Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Doctors must not be lapdogs to drug firms

Doctors must not be lapdogs to drug firms : "Corporate support of continuing medical education courses, meals, and treats are not merely our just rewards for being hardworking, dedicated doctors. The illusion that the relationship between medicine and the drug industry is collegial, professional, and personal is carefully maintained by the drug industry, which actually views all transactions with physicians in finely calculated financial terms. Drug representatives are paid to be nice to us, as long as we cooperate, sustaining our market share of targeted drugs and limiting our continuing medical education lectures to messages that increase drug sales. This is an unspoken agreement, but no less clear for being covert.

The drug industry is happy to play the generous and genial uncle until physicians want to discuss subjects that are off limits, such as the benefits of diet or exercise, or the relationship between medicine and pharmaceutical companies. Any subject with the potential to reduce drug sales is anathema. Fair enough. He who pays the piper calls the tune. If we remain dependent on pharmaceutical companies for sponsoring continuing medical education, then these courses will remain under the control of the drug industry. This control is not contractual, but it is enforced through psychological manipulation."

Doctors are manipulated by pharma companies, like puppets - and sadly, it's the leading doctors ( the Presidents of Societies and Medical Associations) who connive with them to do so !

I like the clever solution he offers - read the article to find out what it is !

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