Drug-company-kickback trial begins

BOSTON -- For years, they've been the standard freebies that drug companies have offered in an attempt to get doctors to prescribe their medications: expensive dinners, golf outings, trips to ski resorts and drug samples.

This week, 11 current and former sales executives from TAP Pharmaceutical Products -- a leading drug company -- go on trial, accused of conspiring to pay kickbacks to doctors, hospitals and other customers.

The charges focus on efforts to get doctors to prescribe Lupron, the company's prostate-cancer drug, as well as Prevacid, its heartburn drug.

Jury selection began Tuesday, and the case is being closely watched by the drug industry and the medical profession. Critics say the gift-giving drives up the already high cost of prescription drugs and erodes public confidence in doctors.

"Despite the fact that most doctors will deny that they are influenced, in fact, they are," said Dr. Robert Goodman, an internist from New York who started a movement five years ago to eliminate pharmaceutical-company influence.

Doctors approached by the 11 TAP employees were offered gifts including trips to swanky golf and ski resorts and "educational grants" used to pay for cocktail parties, office Christmas parties and travel, according to prosecutors.

It's not the only case taking drug companies to task. Lawsuits filed in New York, California and Texas accuse other companies of bribing doctors and pharmacists to favor their products, costing consumers and government health plans millions of dollars.

I went to a clinic for a dislocated finger, and the so-called doctor who had a big red nose handed me samples of some drug by the handful, like he was trying to get rid of them.

They all ended up in the garbage. Read about the side effects always.

This bothers me. Sure, some doctors are bad. However, many use the free samples to give to patients who cannot afford to purchase the drugs themselves. The high cost of pharmaceuticals has little to do with these "gifts" or "bribes". It has much more to do with our idiotic system which rewards lawyers.

Back in the 80's, I used to be an escort on occassion for a doctor-friend who was single - to lavish dinners and weekend confereneces held by the drug companies. My schedule did not permit me to go with her to the week-long cruises and Palm Springs get-aways, labeled as educational seminars.

She would rent me a tux, and I'd get a room and a dinner the likes I could not have afforded myself. I was amazed at the money thrown at these doctors in "perks". These things happend on a regular basis, couple time a month sometimes. The doctors themselves loved such treatment!! They would sit around the table having expensive wine and food and talk about their stock portfolios and their investments. All the while letting their asses be fully kissed by the Vendor of the night. When I'd ask my doc-friend about the integrity of it all, she'd just say it was how business was done in their world.

When I see those carry-on-luggage-pulling-types hanging 'round the doctor's office now, I wonder what "perks" are being given these days? And I also wonder when it's going to stop?

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