More Merck | Arthritis Information
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/business/16vioxx.html?_r=2&th&emc=th&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
We are hosed.
Pip
Is this news to you? Being in the dental field, I've seen it for years. It's prostitution. With HMO's, PPO's and the such, Doctors can't possibly be making as much as they used to make, so they rely on things like the Merck deal for monies, and then are taken in by the reps for the rest of it. We have a guy local here, who works for one of the school districts, who bought cleaning products (he's a head custodian) from the same company he always bought from, except the new sales rep was give the "go ahead" from corporate to offer gifts, not money, but in the form of gift certificates, to the head guys at the differnent institutions. It was not something this guy was looking for, just a new program. His name, face, and family was smeared all over the local news. And he's a nice guy working hard taking care of his family, and got caught up in a corporate scandal. I've been given instruments, many expensive, as a thank you for purchasing things, lunches, CE credits, ergonomic chair, candy, apparel, etc. Never once, though, have I lent my name to anything. I figure, I'm buying from that company anyhow, regardless of what they are giving away in terms of "promotional" items, so I'm not refusing. May be off color to you, but that part is no different than getting extra samples from the Tupperware lady for hosting a party.
Leading fellow doctors/providors to believe false documentation , however, is a crime.
Well, it's new as it was only published in JAMA on the 15th and 16th.
No, this is what I've always said. With the push for legislation and the elections, we're going to be seeing a lot more of this. And it's about time.
The truth is out there!
Pip
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