Prescribing Behavior

Are Drug Reps Really Necessary?

By Dan Abshear One of the main functions of pharmaceutical representatives is to provide free samples to doctor’s offices presently instead of authentic persuasion, and these samples in themselves cost billions to the pharmaceutical industry. Arguably, samples are the most influential tool in influencing the prescribing habit of a health care provider. Let me be [...]

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Individual Accountability and How Doctors Are Also Businessmen

Steve Woodruff brought to my attention an article that accuses drug reps of using “brainwashing” tactics to influence doctors, and that the pharma industry and the FDA are “victimizing” patients. This led to my comments on the reality of today’s healthcare environment, and how doctors are, in reality, as much in the role of businessmen [...]

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Becoming an educational resource

Last month, I interviewed Dr. Karam Salama, a former preventive care specialist at Oakland, CA-based Kaiser Permanente. Dr. Salama developed educational programs at Kaiser for the network’s local physicians and patient members. In the first interview, Salama discussed the need for patient education as well as factors that influence patient education.

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