Iowa Doctors Say No to Drug Companies

[Rose Siding]

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- A group of doctors say they'll no longer accept free coffee mugs, pens or other trinkets and free lunches from pharmaceutical representatives in an effort to keep their brand names in view, along with hopes the doctors will prescribe the drugs.

"It's just plain ethically wrong and it's designed to color our judgment," Dr. Dean Abramson of Gastroenterologists P.C. said of the practice. "I don't think patients realize how much drug companies spend on this."

According to a report by the California Public Interest Research Group, U.S. spending on "detailing" efforts by drug representatives to reach doctors directly totals nearly $5 billion annually, costs that are passed on to consumers.

A notice posted at the Cedar Rapids office notes the "exorbitant" price patients pay for drugs, adding: "Although we are fully aware that discontinuing our lunches will not lower this cost, we feel it
is necessary for our company to do so."

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-no-more-freebies,0,4653515.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines

[peacetalksforall]

1. But they'll keep the trips? Just kidding. Congratulations to Iowa!.

[leesa]

2. This is GREAT news!! I am a nurse and we have these vultures hanging

around ALL THE TIME...I NEVER attend anything sponsored by a drug company.

[TahitiNut]

10. Nearly every time I take my mother to the doctor (@6 weeks), there's ...

... at least one drug pusher that comes in pushing samples and assorted ad-ware. One gal (always women, for some reason) drives a late model Mercedes and dresses to the nines. They're always carrying a huge bundle of stuff. It's something else! :eyes:

[TacticalPeek]

13. (always women, for some reason)

Up until a few years ago, it was nearly always men. Bringing in the B-girls and paying them less was part of big pharma's 'cost control' measures.

[radwriter0555]

20. I just talked a dear friend out of working for these bottom feeders as

a sales rep.

He'll thank me later. He's rather young, but 'gets' it, the idea of living an ethical life.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. My doctor told me

that his sister is a doctor in practice with a group that refuses all these trinkets. But he said they also don't get samples from the drug sales reps either. He likes having samples to give patients who have trouble paying for their meds.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

24. See post #7. (nt)

[proud patriot]

4. there was a pbs documantary on this practice

I am glad these Iowan Doctors are standing up .

[Pirate Smile]

5. Awww, they make me proud to live here. We are a blue city and county

and, sometimes, you can tell.

[pstans]

6. I am glad that I live in Iowa

[Wapsie B]

7. Yeah, we've got some drug reps

who'll feed an entire clinic for lunch. Now you tell me that doesn't get factored into the cost of drugs. And they want to shut down the Canadia Drug outlet we have here.

[steely]

8. Some doc's I know get free tickets to games.

and alot of money is spent on trips in the name of seminars.

[montana_hazeleyes]

9. Good for them!

And I hope more and more doctors start standing up against what is being done in the "health industry" that is hurting patients.

[CottonBear]

11. My family doctor doesn't accept their bribes either.

They bring food and invites to parties. He is an outspoken local dem. He does accept the pens and pads. I'll talk to him about that. I think he'd stop that too.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. Good for them

by the way last time we went to teh dioc, the drug dealer was there, he was not happy when we called him a pusher...

[CoffeeCat]

14. Great news to hear...

...from Cedar Rapids, Iowa--my hometown.

CR is such a rock-solid town (130,000 population) with very lovely people. It was a great place to grow up.

Kudos to Dr. Abramson and his associates.

[Blue Gardener]

15. CR is in Eastern Iowa

The "Blue" part of the state. We have our share of fundie nutjobs, but for the most part people around here are pretty decent. I've lived in the area my whole life, and can't imagine living anywhere else.

[youthere]

16. Proud to be an Iowan

n/t

[blondeatlast]

17. Urge your doctors to take the "no free lunch" pledge, info here.

http://www.nofreelunch.org/

I love this site; and I have 5 doctors due to extensive medical issues. One has signed the pledge, even!

No Free Lunch Pen Amnesty Program
Send us your drug company pens, we'll replace them with ours*
No questions asked!

Your pens will be donated to a worthwhile charity

Send pens, along with your return address, to:

No Free Lunch
P.O. Box 151
Audubon Station
New York, New York 10032

and your comments to [e-mail]

*Because our operating budget is at present slightly less than most of the major pharmaceutical companies, we regret that we are unable to exchange pens one for one.

[drdon326]

18. Double edge....

trinkets are nice,fun and useful but MORE important than that are the samples they provide.

Samples are really important for certain patiets/alot of patients who dont have prescription coverage.

They dont influence my usage.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

23. See post #7. (nt)

[drdon326]

26. Saw it.....

i still say the sample drugs are important for many people.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

27. Maybe if they didn't spend so much in sleazy marketing and bribes...

...the medicines would be cheaper.

The samples are part of a "hook 'em up" scheme, even if there's an immediate "good" effect perceived.

If only medicine X works for a particular case, the doctor will prescribe it no matter what. Otherwise, chances are there's other, cheaper (and maybe better) alternatives. I don't trust this scheme.

[bmbmd]

19. +Drug reps are a good source

of educational material and updates on their products. They also leave samples for patients.

[Ilsa]

21. I have to admit, the samples are nice.

We used samples for 2-3 weeks for my son's meds to determine if they were working. Those meds are expensive, so free trials are helpful. Also, the samples provide us with a "reordering supply buffer" when the insurance companies are counting the hours before you can refill a script. Keeping up with the med supply of someone on several meds can be a big task. As a matter of fact, I need a new script on one...

[Bridget Burke]

22. Peer-reviewed journals are even better sources....

Of medical information.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

25. For one thing, they're impartial.

What kind of airhead trusts ADVERTISING? Because that's what these materials are.

And the phrase "drug dealers giving free samples" gives me the bejeebies.

[IA_Seth]

28. Woo hoo

Stories like this make me happy to live in Cedar Rapids!

Way to return the faith and respect to the medical field!

[ernstbass]

29. Appalause for these docs!!

I work in a hospital and the drug whores are always lurking - they sp[end an exorbinant amount of $$ wining and dining everyone in the office - not just the docs. And they also pay some of our docs to go all over the country lecturing on their new drugs - it's sickening!

[Eurobabe]

30. Patients DO realize how much drug companies spend

on these marketing materials.

They see it in $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ when they pick up their damn prescriptions!!!!

But kudos to ya just the same...for saying no.