Posted by shasling on January 25, 2006, at 14:09:20
In reply to Psychiatrists who don't have time to talk, posted by ed_uk on January 25, 2006, at 9:55:44
I wasn't looking for this, just opened my home page MSNBC and there it was.
By Ceci Connolly
Washington Post
Updated: 5:09 a.m. ET Jan. 25, 2006
Declaring that the pervasive influence of drug industry money is distorting doctors' treatment decisions and scientific findings, a prestigious panel of medical experts called on their colleagues yesterday to adopt far-reaching new conflict-of-interest policies.
In an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the group said that voluntary efforts to limit corporate inducements have failed, resulting in the overprescribing of some medications and the withholding of negative discoveries about others. Highly publicized cases involving the anti-inflammatory drug Vioxx, antidepressants for children and spinal implants made by Medtronic -- all occurring while voluntary guidelines were in place -- highlight the need for stricter measures, they said......Spokesmen for the pharmaceutical industry said the extra steps are unnecessary and could deprive physicians of valuable information...
...'The problem has gotten worse and worse'
From their first rounds as residents, doctors travel in a world increasingly dominated by drug company salespeople proffering meals, office supplies, entertainment and even cash to speak at conferences or sit on advisory boards.
Some physicians have been paid lucrative consulting retainers for no specific work; others are paid to put their names on articles ghostwritten by industry employees. One congressional inquiry cited in the report found that pharmaceutical executives steer research grants to doctors and schools that promote their firms' drugs."The problem has gotten worse and worse and worse," Cohen said. The relationships can prompt doctors to order unnecessary tests, prescribe more expensive medicines or advocate adding certain medications to a hospital's list of preferred drugs, he said.
Although most doctors say their relationships with drugmakers do not affect medical decisions, numerous studies suggest otherwise.
"There is solid evidence it isn't the size of the gift, it's the gifting itself that creates a sense of loyalty and indebtedness," said Sharon Levine, associate executive director of Kaiser Permanente's Northern California group practice. The 6,000-doctor practice and the Yale University School of Medicine are among the only institutions in the nation to implement policies similar to those outlined in JAMA.
"The industry is spending $13 billion per year on direct-to-physician promotion," she continued. "That wouldn't be happening if it weren't resulting in changing patterns of utilization. It doesn't necessarily mean patients are getting bad care, but it does mean their influence is out there."
We are perhaps not paranoid or cynical.Suzie
poster:shasling
thread:602606
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060122/msgs/602679.html