David Chelnick The Iron Grip of Pharmaceutical Companies

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How do drug companies influence doctors & patients, and what can be done?

Although legislation exists to disclose financial relationships, additional regulation is required to mitigate the adverse affects of over-prescribing drugs.

Overview Drug companies’ power over doctors 2.Drug companies' power over patients 3.Consequences of over-prescribing 4.How to resolve the issues at hand

Vicious Cycle Doctors and patients want prescriptions Drug companies make $$$ Drug Companies promote drugs

Influence on the Physician 2134

Pharmaceutical Companies' Influence 25% of doctors are paid by drug companies for lectures and endorsements

Pharmaceutical Companies' Influence 66% of doctors receive free meals from drug company representatives

Disclosure… Sunshine Sunshine Laws The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) “Obamacare”

Sunshine Laws Obama Administration: 1,100 –About 1,100 drug and device makers must report payments to doctors –$10,000 fine

Disclosure so far…? $761.3 million As of April 2012

$31,647,101 Nexium Crestor Symbicort

$85,263,683 Advair Paxil Zofran

$176,247,405 Celebrex Lipitor Lyrica Viagra

Influence on the Patient 21 34

Power over the patient 33% of patients who have seen ads have spoken to their doctor about an advertised drug.

Of those consumers, 28% asked for prescriptions Power over the patient

80% of such requests were granted

Consequences of this relationship 213 4

Up to 60% of all prescriptions in the U.S. are written for drugs being used in a fashion other than their approved purpose Journal of the American Medical Association:

Antibiotics… 20% are prescribed for sinus infections (viral or bacterial)

Be careful! More antibiotics= more antibiotic resistant bacteria

Dr. Margaret Chan, director general of the World Health Organization: “This will be a post-antibiotic era…things as common as strep throat or a child’s scratched knee could once again kill”

Can we solve our problems? 213 4

A simple solution More regulation of money given to doctors by drug companies

Continue to disclose any financial relationships (At least keep this part of the healthcare bill!) A simple solution

If we must… Regulate prescribing doctors A simple solution

Talk to your doctor…