WHAT’S IN YOUR MEDICINE CABINET MAY DEPEND ON WHAT DRUG
REP HAS BEEN IN YOUR DOCTOR’S OFFICE
It appears that segments of the medical community are trying to take their job back – deciding what is best for their patients.
For the past several years the idea of Physician diagnosis leading to correct treatment has gotten lost in the din of TV pharmaceutical commercials. Relegating a Physician’s role to “Ask your doctor if this drug is right for you” put big Pharma up front and left the Medical Doctor taking the orders. Legislative sessions have swarmed with lobbyists for the pharmaceutical companies while the Physicians, less trained in Public Relations have allowed their presence to diminish in the eyes of the community and the law makers. Physicians allowed further compromise of their position by accepting gifts from these same companies through frequent visits from their sales force.
While there is no doubt that doctors have been party to the eclipse of their own stature, things are changing. Medical schools, hospitals and Physician groups have fanned the embers and a sense of ethics still burns as evidenced by recent editorials in their own journals and attempts to limit financial ties to pharmaceutical companies.
As Physicians take measures to limit the influence that the pharmaceutical sales forces have on their practice, we look forward to the day when we see the receptionist first at the doctor’s office – not the drug rep waiting in the lobby.
No comments:
Post a Comment