Pharmaleaders Features the Unholy Nexus of Pharma Companies & Doctors in its September Issue.

Online, October 2, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Mumbai, 1st October 2010 : Pharmaleaders, Renowned International Magazine in its latest September issue has featured how the system of "Give & Take" Operate in its cover feature( www.pharmaleaders.co.in ). It says....We understand that when you by a prescption drug at a drug store, the drug store must tell the name of the drug and the doctor who prescribed it to a computer system. As we understand it, the drug companies can access this system and then know which doctors prescribe their drug and how to reward them. We understand that they have sales reps who are ex football team cheerleaders, who visit the doctors to see that they are rewarded. We understand that cash is not ok, but there are various things that are allowed, like dinners, golf trips, and even paid speaker positions at seminars. Can someone fill me in on the details? Do you know the laws that authorize this?.... Legally, of course, companies can't bribe anyone to do anything, whether the kickback is taking place on domestic or international grounds. But the act that guides the Department of Justice's international jurisdiction -- called the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) -- specifically prohibits bribery to officials of foreign governments to procure business. Even though doctors still receive a significant amount of information about the medications they are prescribing straight from drug representatives, these transactions aren't considered, under current interepation of the law, to be bribes. It's difficult to legally prove a link between, say, buying flights for doctors to attend meetings and influencing them to push one brand of drug over a different one, or that they prescribe drugs they otherwise wouldn't. Under the FCPA, investigators have to prove corrupt intent in order to accuse companies of wrong-doing. Evidence for "intent" is only available in egregious examples of bribery.
With a lot of voices going against this, Medical Practioners will face an upheal task before the statutory bodies & will be under scanner.There is no secret that it is a Marriage of Convinence between Pharma Companies & Doctors, but the bigger question is will it be ethical & appropriate to beg for a prescription when there is no need asks Satya Brahma, Editor-In-Chief of Pharmaleaders Magazine in its September Issue.
Debasish Chakrabraty
Head - Media Cell
Pharmaleaders - Business & Editorial Office
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Mathikere, Bangalore-54,
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