Senate Revises Drug Maker Gift Bill

[flashl]

A revised Senate bill would require drug makers and medical device makers to publicly report gifts over $500 a year to doctors, watering down the standard set in a previous version. The new language was endorsed by the drug maker Eli Lilly & Company. Lawmakers said they hoped the support would prompt other companies to back the bill, which had previously required all gifts valued over $25 be reported. The industry says the gifts are part of its doctor education, but critics say such lavish gestures influence prescribing habits.

NY Times

[chicagomd]

1. Now don't everyone flame me at once...

but I have to say even $500.00 per year seems pretty trivial.

The last line of the paragraph:
"...but critics say such lavish gestures influence prescribing habits."

There is no doubt drug reps influence perscribing habits, but we are talking about a group of professionals that even in the lowest paid specialties make over $100,000 per year on average. Can you really consider $500.00 lavish?

[CAG]

2. Considering academic "thought leaders" receive $1,000 honoraria

to give each canned speech, and get sent across the nation to sit on "consultant panels" where they sit for 3 hours and get to write a review article for a supplement somewhere(nothing more than fancy bribery) and pocket the $3,000 honoraria for this, sure, I say report it.