Drug company fined for excessive hospitality
Do I really need to comment on this?? All decisions for patient care should be made with one question in mind: Will this benefit my patient? This decision should be unadultered with memories of extravagant trips, daily lunches at the office, free continuing education seminars and ads seen everywhere imaginable. Pharmaceutical marketing to the public SHOULD NOT have an impact on prescribing habits. Every doctor should review the evidence from an independent and unbiased source to determine its safety and effectiveness. Maybe you could actually consider the lack of gigantic advertising budgets for nutriceutical companies a good thing–the physician then relies on medical research and personal experience to make recommendations to their patients.
bmj.com Sheldon 322 (7283): 382b