Seems the Massachusetts legislature has rankled Big Pharma Eli Lilly’s CEO. That state passed a ban on drug company gifts to doctors. Trips, sports tickets, expensive dinners and other perks are part of the Big Pharma sales process, which Eli Lilly’s CEO feels is responsible for educating doctors on medical breakthroughs. He is quoted:
“Imagine how detrimental that could be to the health of patients. Would any one of us want to be a patient or have our mother or daughter be a patient and not be knowledgeable about the latest breakthroughs in medicine? That’s the kind of information our sales people discuss with physicians so that patients at the end of the day can benefit.”
Having personally turned away enticements from drug sales reps, I’ve firsthand experience with Big Pharma’s sales process. My question, however, is this: if the information they provide contains the “valuable breakthroughs” that Lilly’s CEO asserts, why do they need to provide free gifts? Wouldn’t doctors speak to sales reps without the enticement of gifts?
The entire story can be found at: http://www.necn.com/Boston/Business/Eli-Lilly-CEO-on-pharmaceuticals-and-doctors-gifts/1209595716.html
Related posts:
