misuse of detailed data to sell medications |
Lawsuit points out misuse of detailed data on what drugs doctors prescribed by pharmaceuticalsA lawsuit filed by an ex employee of Parke Davis against his former employer, claims that the pharmaceutical collects detailed information on what drugs each doctor prescribes and then, uses this data to push doctors to prescribe their drugs. The fact that drug reps reward doctors for prescribing their medications with not so inexpensive rewards like trips to seminars etc is well known and something about which the AMA has expressed some concern. But some doctors did not know the detailed information the drug reps were collecting about what they prescribe. An article in the Boston Globe, 5-25-03, revealed some interesting details:
Dr. Mark Rohrer, an internist and geriatrician at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Boston told the Globe reporter:
Several pharmaceutical corporations including Eli Lilly and Wyeth refused to comment on prescription profiling. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the industry trade group also would not comment to the Globe reporter. Some claim that this profiling is a protection which allows
pharmaceuticals to immediately alert a doctor about a problem with a drug,
and patients names are not included but what it seems to be protecting the
most is the drug company's sales of their drugs.
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