Do doctors get kick backs from pharmaceutical companies for selling certain drugs?
I’ve experienced this first hand. Pharmaceutical sales reps do this often. When they visit to give a presentation, they bring abundant amounts of food and drinks for the staff, give out small items, and sweet-talk anyone that could influence a decision to carry/prescribe their medication. I’ve also been wined and dined by reps. Taken to restaurants with a group of PA’s and MD’s where a typical dinner would cost $200 and an open bar. Others have told me that reps will cover golfing expenses, you name it. This is a multibillion dollar industry, they have plenty of money to throw around, and of course this is all going to leave a good impression on the doctor prescribing the medication. There’s a medication for everything now and often turning to medication is the first step in modern medicine, even when it shouldn’t be. There need to be some legislative reforms on this, but I fear that will never happen because of how much money is on the line.
