Laws on Pharm Companies Gifting Doctors
The interaction between different clinicians and sales representatives from various pharmaceutical industries has had a significant impact on the prescribing characteristics and attitudes of physicians (Fickweiler, Fickweiler & Urbach, 2019). The interaction between pharmaceutical sales representatives and physicians has seen doctors receive different gifts from pharmaceutical industries to increase prescription and sales of the company’s drugs. This interaction and behaviour, other than having to change the typical prescribing behaviour and patterns of clinicians, is highly illegal. Despite the unlawful action and associated risks, there exist a limited number of stringent policies and institutions to reinforce strategies that are supposed to curtail the illegal activity (Fickweiler, Fickweiler & Urbach, 2017). Other than controlling and restricting the spread of this illicit business, the government and other agencies in the United States only educate physicians on the influence of such interactions. Educating physicians only serves to reduce the prescription of non-superior company drugs but not eliminate the entire issue.
King & Bearman (2017) explains that, in the United States, the pharmaceutical industry spends more than $15 billion every year in providing incentives to physicians to motivate them to prescribe their medication. Amidst this booming business, a plethora of organizations and medical schools have emerged to persuade the government and other relevant stakeholders to formulate policies and control the interaction that exists between such physicians and varied pharmaceutical representatives (King, & Bearman, 2017). The federal government has implemented policies that require physicians and sales representatives to disclose the gifts that they give and receive as well as the payments involved. In the U.S, the Physicians Sunshine Payments Act seeks to ensure that all drug producers to openly disclose all their financial relationships with doctors amongst them meals and gifts that they offer. Clinicians are yet to establish the efficiency of such policies.
King & Bearman (2017) explains that, in the United States, the pharmaceutical industry spends more than $15 billion every year in providing incentives to physicians to motivate them to prescribe their medication. Amidst this booming business, a plethora of organizations and medical schools have emerged to persuade the government and other relevant stakeholders to formulate policies and control the interaction that exists between such physicians and varied pharmaceutical representatives (King, & Bearman, 2017). The federal government has implemented policies that require physicians and sales representatives to disclose the gifts that they give and receive as well as the payments involved. In the U.S, the Physicians Sunshine Payments Act seeks to ensure that all drug producers to openly disclose all their financial relationships with doctors amongst them meals and gifts that they offer. Clinicians are yet to establish the efficiency of such policies.
King & Bearman (2017) explains that, in the United States, the pharmaceutical industry spends more than $15 billion every year in providing incentives to physicians to motivate them to prescribe their medication. Amidst this booming business, a plethora of organizations and medical schools have emerged to persuade the government and other relevant stakeholders to formulate policies and control the interaction that exists between such physicians and varied pharmaceutical representatives (King, & Bearman, 2017). The federal government has implemented policies that require physicians and sales representatives to disclose the gifts that they give and receive as well as the payments involved. In the U.S, the Physicians Sunshine Payments Act seeks to ensure that all drug producers to openly disclose all their financial relationships with doctors amongst them meals and gifts that they offer. Clinicians are yet to establish the efficiency of such policies.