You mean those free gifts don’t work after all?

Critics of pharmaceutical industry detailing like to accuse doctors of taking "bribes" in the form of small gifts in return for prescribing non-evidence based medications. Their premise: "The drug companies wouldn’t spend all that money on small gifts if it didn’t work." Well, if you believe the converse of that statement, as #1 Dinosaur does, it doesn’t work:

I have no doubt in the world that the recent withdrawal of pens and mugs from the drug reps' goodie bags is nothing more than the result of a consultant's report that the return on that investment is not worth it.

Maybe. The lobby opposing all forms of interaction between industry and the medical profession has focused on the giving of small gifts because it’s the easiest target for ridicule. What the Dinosaur refers to, the latest move by the industry trade organization (Pharma) to stop the gifts, may just take some of the wind out of their sails.

And that tired canard that accepting gifts is taking money out of our patients’ pockets because it drives up drug prices can now be put to the test, right?

You can access the new Pharma code here.