Comments on: Pens, pizza, parties: how Big Pharma freebies have impacted medicine

By: Mancia.org

Mancia.org — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 04:56:23 +0000

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By: Will W.T.

Will W.T. — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 22:50:55 +0000

Thank you Ex Drug Rep for your insider’s perspective on this. This is likely why you are now an EX rep.

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By: Zig

Zig — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:37:06 +0000

The most successful sales people know that it’s all about building relationships. That’s where well-trained drug reps shine – these innocuous-seeming freebies are all part of the overall strategy. It’s interesting to see how the strategy gets quantified here. Well done, Carolyn!

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By: Ex Drug Rep

Ex Drug Rep — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 08:02:17 +0000

Pens, pizza and parties are the ‘gateway drugs’ needed to ease the way for doctors to get into bed with the pharmaceutical companies as full partners on Big Pharma’s drug marketing team.

After years of developing collegial relationships based on accepting no-problem freebies and drug ‘education’, it just gets easier and easier as time goes by to say YES to free dinners or theater tickets or fully sponsored medical conference registrations in return for increased Rx of specific drugs. And yet there’s nothing wrong with any of this?!?!?

You have published a number of compelling (and frighteningly accurate) profiles here on this exellent site about examples of this insidious and highly effective relationship in drug marketing.

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By: Pharmacist X.

Pharmacist X. — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:28:30 +0000

At the hospital where I work, Big Pharma sponsorship of our annual meetings and courses is pervasive, just part of the culture. Not surprisingly, the hospital drug formulary leans heavily towards the products manufactured by those who pay the bills.

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By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 03:22:45 +0000

Most doctors I know would deny that they are at all influenced by pens, pizza or parties – but this research addresses just how effective such small freebies can actually be, and worse – how they lead to greater acceptance that all of this is “normal” even as the freebies get larger, more attractive, and harder to say NO to.

No drug company spends this kind of money on freebies and sponsorships unless they really work to sell more of their drugs. They wouldn’t offer them otherwise. Period.

Every doctor may acknowledge that OTHER docs are susceptible to such conflict of interest, but certainly not THEM!

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