Comments on: The Ethics of Selling Prescription Data http://brainblogger.com/2008/07/17/the-ethics-of-selling-prescription-data/ Topics from multidimensional biopsychosocial perspectives. Fri, 09 Jan 2009 01:16:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Zane Safrit http://brainblogger.com/2008/07/17/the-ethics-of-selling-prescription-data/comment-page-1/#comment-260461 Zane Safrit Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:16:48 +0000 http://brainblogger.com/?p=1048#comment-260461 The word that comes to mind is <em>denial</em>. The word that's missing is <em>accountability</em> and that's dependent on<em> transparency</em>. Blogs like yours and the comments they generate are a huge step in the direction of delivering accountability and transparency. Abd, eventually the truth will come out. And then we'll hear the classic phrase <em>I didn't know </em>. The word that comes to mind is denial. The word that’s missing is accountability and that’s dependent on transparency. Blogs like yours and the comments they generate are a huge step in the direction of delivering accountability and transparency.

Abd, eventually the truth will come out. And then we’ll hear the classic phrase I didn’t know .

]]> By: Points of Interest #22 « Mind, Soul, and Body http://brainblogger.com/2008/07/17/the-ethics-of-selling-prescription-data/comment-page-1/#comment-258204 Points of Interest #22 « Mind, Soul, and Body Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:05:00 +0000 http://brainblogger.com/?p=1048#comment-258204 [...] I oppose body, mind, and soul, here is a report at GNIF BrainBlooger describing the politics behind selling physicians prescribing habits to pharmaceutical companies.  Write your congressman today, this needs to [...] [...] I oppose body, mind, and soul, here is a report at GNIF BrainBlooger describing the politics behind selling physicians prescribing habits to pharmaceutical companies.  Write your congressman today, this needs to [...]

]]> By: Jennifer Bunn, RN http://brainblogger.com/2008/07/17/the-ethics-of-selling-prescription-data/comment-page-1/#comment-256428 Jennifer Bunn, RN Fri, 18 Jul 2008 05:04:09 +0000 http://brainblogger.com/?p=1048#comment-256428 Thank you, Colette, for your comment. As for the "gratis" given to doctors, I agree with you. And I believe that it doesn't even necessarily have to be covert. I think that anytime you reward someone with something, that person feels obligated to "give back". I don't think this is necessarily a conscious thing, just a human thing. And the drug companies know this. Again, thanks for the comment. Jennifer Thank you, Colette, for your comment. As for the “gratis” given to doctors, I agree with you. And I believe that it doesn’t even necessarily have to be covert. I think that anytime you reward someone with something, that person feels obligated to “give back”. I don’t think this is necessarily a conscious thing, just a human thing. And the drug companies know this.
Again, thanks for the comment.
Jennifer

]]> By: Ulysee Wheeling http://brainblogger.com/2008/07/17/the-ethics-of-selling-prescription-data/comment-page-1/#comment-256280 Ulysee Wheeling Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:39:48 +0000 http://brainblogger.com/?p=1048#comment-256280 Complaining about pharmaceutical industry access to prescription information is merely a smokescreen for the real issue - that information exists at all. The real goal isn't to stop sales reps from seeing this, it's to ensure that the DEA can't get ever find out what doctor's are doing. The doctors complaining the most about this issue are the same ones with the highest instances of narcotic prescribing. And we're not talking pain management specialists. We're talking dentists, cardiologists and urologists. I'm looking forward to the day when someone can explain the medically necessity of why a cardiologist in New Hampshire is writing upwards of 8,000 prescriptions a year (that's over 20 scripts a day, 365 days a year) for narcotics. Either the whole town is narc'd up or something fishy is going on. Complaining about grafts, bribes, cozy sales rep relationships, dinners, pens, free lunches, patient privacy rights and everything else is a smokescreen for the real issue - physician prescribing abuses. Backing doctors who inappropriately prescribe drugs to Rush Limbaugh, Keith Ledger and Anna Nicole Smith is fine...just be honest about it. Complaining about pharmaceutical industry access to prescription information is merely a smokescreen for the real issue - that information exists at all. The real goal isn’t to stop sales reps from seeing this, it’s to ensure that the DEA can’t get ever find out what doctor’s are doing. The doctors complaining the most about this issue are the same ones with the highest instances of narcotic prescribing. And we’re not talking pain management specialists. We’re talking dentists, cardiologists and urologists.

I’m looking forward to the day when someone can explain the medically necessity of why a cardiologist in New Hampshire is writing upwards of 8,000 prescriptions a year (that’s over 20 scripts a day, 365 days a year) for narcotics. Either the whole town is narc’d up or something fishy is going on.

Complaining about grafts, bribes, cozy sales rep relationships, dinners, pens, free lunches, patient privacy rights and everything else is a smokescreen for the real issue - physician prescribing abuses. Backing doctors who inappropriately prescribe drugs to Rush Limbaugh, Keith Ledger and Anna Nicole Smith is fine…just be honest about it.

]]> By: Colette Bouchez http://brainblogger.com/2008/07/17/the-ethics-of-selling-prescription-data/comment-page-1/#comment-255858 Colette Bouchez Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:13:02 +0000 http://brainblogger.com/?p=1048#comment-255858 I think the really interesting part of the gathering of prescribing habit data is whether or not drug companies will use this information to "reward" doctors who prescribe, or maybe "over prescribe" certain drugs. While there have been steps taken to reduce the "gratis" given to doctors who prescribe one drug over another, one has to wonder though, if this data base of prescribing habits will be used similarly in some kind of covert reward system that ultimately benefits the doctor but not the patient. Good article - and something to think about .... I think the really interesting part of the gathering of prescribing habit data is whether or not drug companies will use this information to “reward” doctors who prescribe, or maybe “over prescribe” certain drugs. While there have been steps taken to reduce the “gratis” given to doctors who prescribe one drug over another, one has to wonder though, if this data base of prescribing habits will be used similarly in some kind of covert reward system that ultimately benefits the doctor but not the patient.
Good article - and something to think about ….

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