Healthy Skepticism Library item: 9256

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: Journal Article

Sharfstein SS.
Dr. Sharfstein Replies
Am J Psychiatry 2007 Feb; 164:(2):346-a
http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/164/2/346-a?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=sharfstein&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT

Notes:

“In my Presidential Address, I supported and acknowledged the important contributions of the pharmaceutical industry, whose products have, in my words, “transformed the outcomes for millions of psychiatric patients.” … However, I take exception to the implication that our partnership must be cheek-to-cheek.

The marketing of medications through millions of dollars in gifts, free trips, meaningless surveys, and other enticements is wrong. It also generates distrust among our patients and drives up costs, as less expensive but equally therapeutic alternative medications fall from routine use.

Too close a relationship with the pharmaceutical industry exacerbates concerning trends in the medical marketplace. Increasingly, psychiatrists are seen as pill pushers, with the result that we are reimbursed for our pharmacologic expertise and very little else. Another unfortunate result (for everyone) is that our profession has less credibility to stand up and object to unnecessary black box warnings…”

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