I was going to try to have an upbeat post today because I feel like I've been Debbie Downer in this blog but I ran across this article in the NY Times and couldn't resist sharing it. Doctor's relationships with drug companies is extremely concerning to me. The group of doctors that receive the most payments are Psychiatrists, which adds to the concerns I expressed in a previous post. If you don't have time to read the article, here are a couple of snippets:"research shows that doctors who have close relationships with drug makers tend to prescribe more, newer and pricier drugs — whether or not they are in the best interests of patients."
"Dr. Coyne recently wrote an editorial in an influential journal decrying guidelines written last year by the kidney foundation that encourage doctors to use more of Amgen’s drugs to treat anemia in kidney patients despite studies showing that increased use led to more deaths."
"Drug companies 'want somebody who can manipulate in a very subtle way,' said Dr. Frederick R. Taylor, a headache specialist in Minneapolis who earned more than $710,000 between 1997 and 2005, much of that from GlaxoSmithKline, the maker of the migraine drug Imitrex."
"A 2002 survey found that more than 80 percent of the doctors on panels that write clinical practice guidelines had financial ties to drug makers."
Who is your doctor
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2 comments:
not only concerning to me is this, but also the relationship docs have with insurance company dollars. there's no longer a concern for our health, but for covering overhead and stuffing pockets. there was an interesting story yesterday on PRI's "the story" about doctors who are breaking with the current established model and treating patients on a set fee scale so that they can focus on patient care and not paperwork or corporate invoices.
you are writing about some very important stuff here, i am really glad to see it.
ooh, i'll have to look for that story - hopefully i can find a podcast. i'll also have to find me a doctor that's using that model!
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