[Black Agnes]

Let the buyer beware. I don't feel sorry for people who are tricked into demanding expensive and unnecessary drugs from their doctors. I blame them, and their doctors for being patsy's. OTOH, if you don't know what drugs are out there, what protection do YOU have from unscrupulous doctors who prescribe drugs (regardless of their benefit to you) from companies they've invested in? Or, just prescribe what was the norm when they were in medical school umpteen years ago. Car companies advertise, food companies advertise...pharma companies weren't allowed to advertise at all till some law got changed in '96.

[iceskater]

Let the buyer beware. I don't feel sorry for people who are tricked into demanding expensive and unnecessary drugs from their doctors. I blame them, and their doctors for being patsy's. OTOH, if you don't know what drugs are out there, what protection do YOU have from unscrupulous doctors who prescribe drugs (regardless of their benefit to you) from companies they've invested in?

The practice you describe is illegal under the Stark rules. Even I, as an administrator - not a clinician - am not allowed to invest in medically related companies.

Or, just prescribe what was the norm when they were in medical school umpteen years ago.

This is more of an issue. The explosion of information in the medical field is incredible. It's extremely difficult for a person to keep up with all the changes. This is why you as a healthcare consumer have to take responsibility for your own health. Just as you now have to take more responsibility for your financial life, you should take more responsibility for you health.