Is it difficult for practitioners to turn down patient requests for expensive medicines driven by drug manufacturer advertising?
Lee: Consumers really aren’t stupid and don’t want what’s not good for them. Consumers are spending a lot of time on the Internet and I think the challenge for physicians is to engage them as educated consumers Abel: I don’t think we’re practicing evidence-based medicine. I think we would welcome the opportunity to have the evidence to educate our patients; however, without cash contributions on the part of patients, this is not going to happen. Crossen: I think that as a profession we’re being taken to the cleaners by the drug companies. I think that the drug company contributions to research and support of professional associations has been essentially, bribery. As a profession, we have to account for this and push back. I think the drug companies ought to be forced to put in their television commercials the fact that there are choices and other options for treatment that patients need to discuss with their physicians. This would be similar to the requirements for tobacco companies,
