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Topic: Drug company tactics probed (Read 341 times) |
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D
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Drug company tactics probed
« on: Jul 11th, 2004, 3:57am » |
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Doctors say they received financial lures to prescribe some medications
By GARDINER HARRIS
New York Times
MARKETING DRUGS
• Questionable tactics: Schering-Plough’s tactics, sources said, included paying doctors large sums to prescribe its drug for hepatitis C and to take part in company-sponsored clinical trials that were little more than thinly disguised marketing efforts that required little effort on the doctors’ part.
• Favoring loyalty: Doctors who demonstrated disloyalty by testing other company’s drugs, or even talking favorably about them, risked being barred from the Schering-Plough money stream.
The check for $10,000 arrived in the mail unsolicited. The doctor who received it from drug maker Schering-Plough said it was made out to him personally in exchange for an attached "consulting" agreement that required nothing other than his commitment to prescribe the company’s medicines.
Two other physicians said in separate interviews that they, too, had received checks from Schering-Plough, one of the world’s biggest drug companies.
Those checks and others, some of them said to be for six-figure sums, are under investigation by federal prosecutors in Boston as part of a broad government crackdown on the drug industry’s marketing tactics. Just about every big global drug company — including Johnson & Johnson, Wyeth and Bristol-Myers Squibb — has disclosed in securities filings that it has received a federal subpoena, and most are juggling subpoenas stemming from several investigations.
Schering-Plough says the activities under investigation occurred before its new chief executive, Fred Hassan, arrived in April 2003, and that it has overhauled its marketing to eliminate such inducements.
At the heart of the investigations is the question of whether drug companies are persuading doctors — often through payoffs — to prescribe drugs that patients do not need, or should not use, or for which there may be cheaper alternatives. In many ways, the investigations are a response to the evolution of the pharmaceutical business, which has grown into a $400 billion behemoth.
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No comment, other than what I read on these threads some of our membership really needs to rethink the drugs they are being sold on to use.
Peace and Positive Energy
D
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eyes_afire
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Re: Drug company tactics probed
« Reply #1 on: Jul 11th, 2004, 10:08am » |
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No doubt, the system is corrupt. I've known that for a long time.
But....
Some of us don't have a choice.
That's why it's important to know thy meds... legal, illegal, or otherwise.
--- Steve... money slave, drug slave (god this sucks)
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Still around... in a brand new world now...
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purpleydog
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Re: Drug company tactics probed
« Reply #2 on: Jul 11th, 2004, 5:26pm » |
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Pharmaceuticals is BIG BUSINESS in this country. Can you imagine how rich they are? Do you know what it costs to advertise drugs? Just a drop in their bucket.
There is no doubt in my mind that drug companies are pushing doctors to prescribe their meds. And it seems that the drugs that work the best always cost the most money.
It's always a good idea to research your meds. And get samples from the doctor if he wants to try you on some new drug that just came out.
Greedy bastards.
purpleydog
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Samantha_Smith
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I love YaBB 1G - SP1!
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Re: Drug company tactics probed
« Reply #3 on: Jul 11th, 2004, 9:55pm » |
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Old story. New tactics.
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"Tact is for people not witty enough to use sarcasm."
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Jimmy_B
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Re: Drug company tactics probed
« Reply #4 on: Jul 12th, 2004, 9:40am » |
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This is why you always have to be proactive in your appointments with your Doctor.
Research your symptoms, research meds that work. Write down everything before you get to the Doctor's office, so you don't waste precious time.
Remember the Pharmaceutical industry is a Business. They're not in business to lose money. Between Research & litigation issues...a drug could cost 10's of millions of dollars before it even hits the shelves. If it hits the shelves. Then they can only patent for a few years. But you can cut your costs by making sure the med prescribed is right for your condition & by asking for samples at the Doc's office & Generics at the Pharmacy.
Also, if you don't have Script Insurance...shop different pharmacies...you'd be surprised at the difference in prices.
Jimmy
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Edski_1
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All the years combine...they melt into a dream...
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Re: Drug company tactics probed
« Reply #5 on: Jul 12th, 2004, 5:10pm » |
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Anyone who thinks that the drug companies make their products for "the common good" are in a dream land. I've been pretty suspicious for a long time that stuff like this is going on. New tactic? Probably not. Just new that the word is getting out.
And politicians wonder why people are so cynical...
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This is the mystery of the quotient; upon us all a little rain must fall...
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Lori
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Re: Drug company tactics probed
« Reply #6 on: Jul 22nd, 2004, 1:12am » |
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It's interesting that I came across this thread tonight. I've been wondering if this is why my daughters pyschiatrist has been trying VERY hard to put her on dangerous drugs when I kept requesting we try the one with the least dangerous side effects first! It's been driving me nuts (no pun intended) because I researched all the ones he wrote down for me and they all are horrible except the lithium. AND the litium is cheap!! If it works, why not???? Why use a all those other drugs I said that have horrible daily and long term side effects when we can use lithium????? He didn't seem to care. Only after three visits did he finally give us the lithium script! But I really believe there was a reason he was pushing these other drugs so hard on her. Lithium is so cheap I am sure there is no money to be made for him in prescribing that.
So, yes..research the drugs that are normally used in treating the problem (CH) and take the info with you and be ready to have to fight for what you want. The doctors do not like people like us that come and are not willing to just take everything they want to give us.
Ok, long enough..sorry.
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Blessings and PFDAN,
Lori
Psalm 23:4 ~ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
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