Re: Personally

A few years back I worked for a company that provided support for most of the large pharma companies. The average pharma rep's expense report was quite enlightening. Aside from the occasional air travel (most rep's work locally) and typical expenses like mileage, etc, the big money went to dinners, lunches, greens fees.... We used to crack that it must be nice to have a job that pays you to play golf and eat REALLY well. Oh, and Don't mention 'kickbacks' in that industry. No-one acknowledges anything of the kind - even when it's happening right before their eyes.

Think your doctor has really spent the extra 20 or 40 hours after work to do their own research into that new drug he gave you? More likely they simply accepted the "research" papers by the helpful pharma rep proving it says what they claim. Research paid for by the pharma company with a mandate to say what the company wants it to say.

Not always the doctor's fault. Long hours, malpractice spectors, hypochrondriac patients who saw their symptoms on Oprah, and numerous other distractions less forgiving - but just as real - plus wanting to leave the job at the office and spend time with family and friends.... So much easier to just accept what the nice pharma rep's offers and have one less thing to worry about. Tweet