Drug and device companies paid $6.5 Billion to US doctors and hospitals in 2014

[Bill Godshall]

Government says drug companies paid $6.5 Billion to US doctors and hospitals in 2014 (Chantix manufacturer Pfizer paid >$295.6 Million, Nicorette/Nicoderm manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline paid >213.1 Million)
U.S. doctors, hospitals reap $6.5 billion from drug and device makers: report| Reuters

Since dozens of healthcare and medical organizations (e.g. CTFK, ACS, AHA, ALA, AAP, AMA, etc.) have received hundreds of millions of dollars from manufacturers of FDA approved drugs to treat "tobacco dependence" and failed to ethically disclose their conflicts of interest (when demonizing and urging FDA to ban e-cigs and/or when urging vaping bans, e-cig taxes, etc), I wonder how many Big Pharma funded doctors and hospitals have also made false or misleading fear mongering claims about e-cigarettes or urged vaping bans, taxes, etc. and failed to ethically disclose their conflicts of interest)?

 

[choochoogranny]

Unfortunately, it's not surprising, Bill Godshall. This type of "influence" started long ago. Where in the world did that base 200 cholestrol level come from anyway? Now a great many have to take a drug to keep it reduced. Several years ago they saw fit to LOWER the diabetic glucose numbers to levels now easily attained by more people. Now more are taking one more drug or at the least given a kit by the dr. to keep track of their levels.

Big pharma has a lot to answer for, but so do all those who accepted the "influence".

 

[nicnik]

Big pharma has a lot to answer for, but so do all those who accepted the "influence".

And perhaps some of the recipients pressured and/or threatened the "influencers" to donate. It's a rather large part of a big ugly influence peddling mess that the public has been fed up with for decades.

 

[NorthOfAtlanta]

Not surprising when you look at this chart from here.

Persuading the Prescribers: Pharmaceutical Industry Marketing and its Influence on Physicians and Patients - Pew Charitable Trusts

Detailing: This marketing approach refers to face-to-face promotional activities directed toward physicians and pharmacy directors. Pharmaceutical representatives typically visit doctors to pitch their drugs. Detailing also includes taking doctors out for meals and giving them gifts in the form of medical textbooks. As of 2012, approximately 72,000 pharmaceutical sales representatives were employed in the United States.

This is from 2012, BP spent $27 billion dollars worldwide that year promoting drugs. $24 billion went to promoting them to Doctors, only $3 billion was spent on the TV and print listings of side effects, whoops I meant advertising.

 

[EBates]

I have No Trust in anything associated with the 'medical business' any more and during my last visit to my Pusher (I mean Dr) I told him so. And also mentioned that I had forgotten my list of drugs that the TV commercials say I should ask about. He really didn't have a come back. Maybe others have made similar comments as well.
So after discussion I agreed to accept two scripts. One he recommended (statin) and one for me to help with some manly issues.

 

[Robino1]

Not surprising when you look at this chart from here.

Persuading the Prescribers: Pharmaceutical Industry Marketing and its Influence on Physicians and Patients - Pew Charitable Trusts

View attachment 469407



This is from 2012, BP spent $27 billion dollars worldwide that year promoting drugs. $24 billion went to promoting them to Doctors, only $3 billion was spent on the TV and print listings of side effects, whoops I meant advertising.

Lets see if we can get that puppy in color. Hard to make out what is what with the gray shadings:

 

[NorthOfAtlanta]

Thanks, at 3:30 this morning I'm lucky I got the right chart.

 

[EBates]

If you expect the PUSHERS to sell the {Moderated} on the street you gotta grease some palms.

 

[nicnik]

If you expect the PUSHERS to sell the {Moderated} on the street you gotta grease some palms.

I get more upset over the hospital conglomerates and medical organizations' part in this than the pharmaceutical companies', but they all need to start behaving more ethically and EFFECTIVELY - best treatment should win, including non-drug and no treatment. Treatment chosen by its merits, not bribery.

 

[EBates]

Welcome to the 'medical business' they have sales numbers to deal with. Investors are watching.

 

[CarolT]

Lets see if we can get that puppy in color. Hard to make out what is what with the gray shadings:

Those sample giveaways are a good thing, though. They hand them out to poor people who don't have the money to pay for medicine, or who can't afford to spend money trying out something new.

 

[Robino1]

Those sample giveaways are a good thing, though. They hand them out to poor people who don't have the money to pay for medicine, or who can't afford to spend money trying out something new.

When they are used that way, yes. I've been in that position before (needing a med I couldn't afford with no insurance). I've also seen them give med samples to my husband (we can afford any out of pocket expense and have good insurance coverage at the moment) that I truly feel that he really doesn't need. If they would take a more tough love stance, it would go farther in getting his health more in line. I'm not one of those nagging wives but I do periodically give a nudge about losing some weight and eating healthier.

Nothing is off the charts high, but they keep pushing pills If they would tell him to start exercising, it would go a lot further than my suggesting it.

I'm about ready to change doctors. I mentioned that I was losing weight and exercising. Response was why? SMH. Answer I gave: to get healthier. Idjits.

 

[TyPie]

Government says drug companies paid $6.5 Billion to US doctors and hospitals in 2014 (Chantix manufacturer Pfizer paid >$295.6 Million, Nicorette/Nicoderm manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline paid >213.1 Million)
U.S. doctors, hospitals reap $6.5 billion from drug and device makers: report| Reuters

Since dozens of healthcare and medical organizations (e.g. CTFK, ACS, AHA, ALA, AAP, AMA, etc.) have received hundreds of millions of dollars from manufacturers of FDA approved drugs to treat "tobacco dependence" and failed to ethically disclose their conflicts of interest (when demonizing and urging FDA to ban e-cigs and/or when urging vaping bans, e-cig taxes, etc), I wonder how many Big Pharma funded doctors and hospitals have also made false or misleading fear mongering claims about e-cigarettes or urged vaping bans, taxes, etc. and failed to ethically disclose their conflicts of interest)?

There you have it.
It's one thing that we all generally 'know' how things REALLY work in business. It's another thing to actually see the numbers in black and white. It's yet another thing altogether when we're talking about how the MEDICAL / MEDICINE businesses really work.
Again, the truth suffers at the hands of business, in the name of dollars. It is completely remarkable to me how difficult it is to learn what the 'truth' is about critically important questions. Yes, business and the bottom line are very important! I thought / hoped that the medical community was somehow above all of this (even though we all kinda 'knew' there was some dirt in there).

 

[nicnik]

There you have it.
It's one thing that we all generally 'know' how things REALLY work in business. It's another thing to actually see the numbers in black and white. It's yet another thing altogether when we're talking about how the MEDICAL / MEDICINE businesses really work.

Ethics and oaths are no match for greed, apparently.

Again, the truth suffers at the hands of business, in the name of dollars. It is completely remarkable to me how difficult it is to learn what the 'truth' is about critically important questions. Yes, business and the bottom line are very important! I thought / hoped that the medical community was somehow above all of this (even though we all kinda 'knew' there was some dirt in there).

 

[TyPie]

Lets see if we can get that puppy in color. Hard to make out what is what with the gray shadings:

If I were participating in any discussion or debate of any kind regarding e-cigs, this is absolutely the VERY first thing I pull out, to be prominently displayed during the entire discussion (itemizing the amounts paid by nicotine replacement drug cos.). What a fantastic prop!

 

[EBates]

Maybe I should rename the 'medical business' to the 'medical mafia'. That could be more appropriate considering current events.

 

[azb8496]

Those sample giveaways are a good thing, though. They hand them out to poor people who don't have the money to pay for medicine, or who can't afford to spend money trying out something new.

You have not been properly informed. Here's a couple to get you started:

Study: Free drug samples go to wealthy, insured - USATODAY.com

Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology - The High Costs of [ldquo]Free[rdquo] Drug Samples

Where was my free sample this weekend when I went to Urgent Care for Pink Eye and the doctor wouldn't help me to get extra eye drops for my girlfriend, who lives with me and, hence, has obviously contracted the highly contagious virus since then? I was told to have her pay the premium of being seen, but they seemed doubtful on her odds of receiving medication (when I asked), since she didn't currently have it. How many people are gonna abuse eye drops? Seriously!? This is another reason I have very little faith in the medical industry. The nurses are nice, but I've never met a medical doctor I personally respect. Follow the trail of Benjamins and the corruptness only gets stranger/stronger.

 

[nicnik]

You have not been properly informed. Here's a couple to get you started:

Study: Free drug samples go to wealthy, insured - USATODAY.com

Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology - The High Costs of [ldquo]Free[rdquo] Drug Samples

Two really good articles! Thanks!

 

[this is my name]

Maybe I should rename the 'medical business' to the 'medical mafia'. That could be more appropriate considering current events.

I thought we already had the term "pharmafia"

 

[Lessifer]

You have not been properly informed. Here's a couple to get you started:

Study: Free drug samples go to wealthy, insured - USATODAY.com

Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology - The High Costs of [ldquo]Free[rdquo] Drug Samples

Where was my free sample this weekend when I went to Urgent Care for Pink Eye and the doctor wouldn't help me to get extra eye drops for my girlfriend, who lives with me and, hence, has obviously contracted the highly contagious virus since then? I was told to have her pay the premium of being seen, but they seemed doubtful on her odds of receiving medication (when I asked), since she didn't currently have it. How many people are gonna abuse eye drops? Seriously!? This is another reason I have very little faith in the medical industry. The nurses are nice, but I've never met a medical doctor I personally respect. Follow the trail of Benjamins and the corruptness only gets stranger/stronger.

It took me 5 years of trying a new dr every year or so to find a good PCP. I got lucky with my pain management doctor. I've been given samples to try, only for things that could be helpful, and never felt pressured. I've also asked for and received prescriptions for OTC meds so that I could use my Flexible Spending Account. There are good doctors out there, but they're becoming fewer and farther between.