Heroic Doctor Exposes Big Pharma!

You should remember this doctor's name: Dr. Pennie Marchetti.

Why, you ask?

'Cause the girl's got a spine of steel and that's rare these days in the medical field.

She's says its time for splitsville  -- divorce Vegas style  --  for the  tired, dessicated, mutually corrupt romance between Big Pharma and the Medical Community.

Keeping up with the latest innovations in drug therapy can certainly be a challenge. Many times, patients hear about new developments from the media before we lowly physicians learn of them. It's not uncommon for my patients to ask for a drug that's just been approved by the FDA the day before — long before it makes it to the marketplace, let alone my own knowledge base.

What did P.T. Barnum say about a sucker being born every minute?

So, what's a busy physician to do?

For starters, read the underlying literature about the drugs you prescribe to people. That'd be nice.

First of all, let's start with what not to do.

Okay, What's not to do?

Do not rely entirely on pharmaceutical sales representatives, any more than you would rely on a car salesman for information about a car. Pharmaceutical sales reps, and the companies who hire them, have done a good job of convincing themselves (as well as the public and some doctors) that one of their key missions is to educate physicians.

Shazam! Are my pristine little 'ole ears deceiving me? Did she just compare pharma reps (usually, hot, ditzy sorority girls) to .....car salesmen?

Don't believe them.

Well, we don't.

Their key mission is to close a sale.

Whoa!  We ain't used to blunt talk from those timid souls known as modern-day docs. There goes your free lunches and trinkets, Dr. Pennie! But, What the hay, girl, you are talking some serious sense.

Read the whole thing. It's short but refreshing.

Comments

[Johnny B.]

Hank asks: "What did P.T. Barnum say about a sucker being born every minute?"

I believe it was - "There is a sucker born every minute"... or something LIKE that.

[HankBarnes]

Ba-de-bing!

Johnny B just flew in from Sunny California (Kawleefornia -- as Arnold says it) and, boy, are his arms tired:)

Take his wife....please!

Hank

[Johnny B.]

Or, as we say in my house, "por favor".

[Michael]

I was particularly intrigued by the following statement the good doc made regarding the drug sales reps:

"The information they provide is often inaccurate"

Wow! Pharma drug reps intentionally giving out misleading or inaccurate information to doctors!

Now certainly our dear friend and favorite drug sales rep, Pharma Baaaa'd, would not give us readers here at Hank's blog inaccurate information, would she?

Hopefully she reserves that sort of behavior just for doctors where it doesn't really matter.