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Feedback ForumAre health care professionals inappropriately influenced by medical product and service marketers?Submissions for this question are no longer being accepted. Previously submitted comments appear below. Comments may have been edited for content or space. Poster: Gloria King, R.D. Comment: Diabetes, and pre-diabetes syndrome will bankrupt our insurance system. In type 2 diabetes it has been well documented since 1898 at the Joslin Diabetes Clinic, as a part of the Harvard University Medical School, Boston, that diet can cure the non-adrenal and non-thyroid induced diabetes. Physicians need to refer to dietitians who are well trained in this arena. It is much more cost effective, cost beneficial than oral pills, with none of their side effects causing heart disease. Physicians want a quick fix. World Health has also documented this recently in Finland, as well. Poster: Joan Mangelsdorf Comment: Healthcare is a multi-billion dollar for profit business. So how do you think it became this large? Answer: influence peddling with politicians and healthcare professionals. Poster: molly guenther Comment: Without a doubt, yes. However the public demands that it be treated with quick fixes and the drug companies know this. Poster: Frances L. D'Amato Comment: My Mom had open heart surgery and then a stent. She still doesn't exercise. Her eating habits haven't changed: white flour, frozen vegetables, beef. At 84 thankfully they aren't going to do another stent but gave her O2. She was never instructed by her Docs to change her habits except for smoking which she gave up 10 yrs ago after her heart attack. Why are we afrais to let people die naturally if they do not want to change their bad habits? I see diabetics eating candy to bring up sugar levels then getting kidney transplants. WHY? Poster: Bill Garber Comment: When I sit in the doctors office and must wait 2 hours to see the doctor because drug reps. are bringing in meals for the doctor and officce employees. I rest my case. There is a plus when the doctor gives his patients free samples. Poster: Shanti Comment: Back in the last century, my M.D. father, who was one of the pioneers in nonsurgical treatment of goiter, went through the same honorable struggle to keep knife-happy surgeons from making their millions and, in this field, from ruining the lives of thousands of patients. YES, medicine is mostly about making money... Poster: Kevin Cahill Comment: Duh. Of course, they are unduly influenced by Big Pharma. Otherwise, Big Pharma wouldn't bother to court doctors. Poster: ArnieC Comment: I am a person who exercises daily takes medication and eats a very low fat diet, yet I had a near total blockage of a major coronary artery. In my case stress probably plays a major part. Angioplasty was the least invasive procedure to save my life. It was absolutely necessary. I don't doubt that many patients abuse their bodies with fatty foods and don't exercise. causing blockages. There are other instances where medication alone would be adequate. If medication alone would have been adequate then I would have preferred not having an angioplasty and stents. Poster: Steve Klein Comment: Several years ago, at a clinic operated by a hostpital and it's MD network, I noticed the reps from a large pharmaceutical co. having catered and brought in for lunch an extravagant lunch. At least it was for the entire office staff, probably some 15 people. Later, it was not surprising that the company providing the free lunch was benefited when the MD I saw prescribed their expensive name-brand medication. Poster: Jen Brewer Comment: Yes, as the wife of a physician I see it's influence, as well as, being a mother and in the hospital after the birth of my son having neonatologists give me false breastfeeding info. in hopes I will formula feed. someone not so strong willed about nursing would probably give up. Poster: Fred Rochte Comment: I have no hard evidence that they do, but I do know that they try like the devil. What I'm more worried about is their influence in congress. That is a far more damaging, and effective, influence. The outlawing of drug importation from Canada and the preclusion of Medicare from bargaining for better drug prices being two cases in point. Poster: C. Elliott Comment: I don't reallly consider this a recent issue. As the drug companies got into advertisements, gained in political influence, and have been able to halt price controls or bargaining issues, they have been given almost the sole right to pander in their own behalf. And this also influences the doctors abilities to help the drug companies and themselves. Poster: Dawn Kimble Comment: Absolutely. |
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