Healthy Skepticism Library item: 13956

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: news

Let's intercept Big Pharma's Hail Mary pass
Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group 2008 Jul 11
http://masspirg.org/action/rx_drugs?id4=ES

Full text:

Yesterday, the pharmaceutical industry announced it will voluntarily ban a marketing tactic that’s gotten it into some hot water: plying physicians with promotional gifts. (You’ve probably noticed them at your doctor’s office — the pens, calendars and trinkets covered with the logos of blockbuster drugs.) [1]

Sounds good, right? Less gifts mean doctors won’t be easily swayed by drug makers’ giveaways.

But look behind the announcement and it’s not so hard to see what’s really going on. With the Massachusetts House about to vote on a much better, far more comprehensive ban, and similar proposals being floated in other states, the drug industry lobby is trying to cut off attempts for real reform at the knees. [2]

The House is expected to vote on the ban soon, possibly as early as next Tuesday.

Please ask your representative to vote for patient safety and lower health care costs by putting an end to the drug industry’s notoriously over-the-top marketing campaigns.

(US residents can email their representatives quickly and easily via the MASSPIRG site)

[1] http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/07/10/
[2] http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/10/business/10code.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin