No more pens from drug companies to docs

Interesting story in New York Times about many drug companies voluntarily stopping the practice of giving away to doctors trinkets and freebies, like pens and tissue boxes, with their names emblazoned across the side. Many doctors agree it had to end, but some, according to this article, will miss the goodies.

The question is: do items like this have any effect on prescribing medications? Most say no, and you have to believe them. Doctors have a greater responsibility to their patients to prescribe the right drug, or determining if their patients even need a pill.

But, does having posters of the human body in examining rooms with drug companies' names written on the bottom, magnets, pens, and pads, have perhaps a subconscious effect on doctors' decisions? Does having a likeable drug rep influence prescriptions that doctors write? Hopefully, the answer is no.

But there are some greedy doctors out there. Medicine is a business. And there are some unethical doctors - as in any line of work - who take kickbacks from drug companies, and commit fraudulent acts like misbilling insurance companies. At the same time, there are also docs who serve on advisory committees for drug companies, positions that are well paid, like consultants, and yet that's not a conflict of interest?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/31/business/31drug.html?hp