Tuesday, May 26, 2009

newsflash: giving presents to people influences them

Today, the New York Times released an article showing that medical students' preference for a certain drug was influenced when they received even small promotional gifts displaying the name of said drug:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/19/health/research/19beha.html?_r=1&ref=research


What I find more interesting than the study itself is why this comes as a surprise to anyone. We already know that giving meals and gifts to doctors makes them more likely to prescribe medications. Otherwise, the pharmaeceutical companies, who surely have done their research, wouldn't waste so much time or money producing logo-ridden pens, mugs, and clipboards. I think part of the reason why this issue is still so debated is because physicians think that, with their extensive training, presumable intelligence, and stringenet moral code, can rise above the influence marketing. Yet, according to Gerald Zaltman, Harvard Business School professor, 95% of cognition occurs in the subconscious mind. In fact, according to Zaltman, "(Studies) often reveal that what consumers actually believe or think, as measured by unconscious physical reactions, contradicts what they say when asked directly."

So of course docs are influenced--without knowing it--by the seemingly harmless "flare" pushed in their faces. Even the highest level of education can't, unfortunately, trump the subconscious. If it didn't work, Big Pharma wouldn't do it.

So if doctors are prescribing more expensive drugs for any other reason than efficacy, even unconsciously, might this drive up costs? Massachussetts law makers seemed to think so when they banned all gifts from pharmaceutical companies in an attempt to curb healthcare spending:

http://news.bostonherald.com/business/healthcare/view.bg?articleid=1088148&srvc=home&position=also

What I'm really curious to learn is whether or not this shift in legislation actually changed physician prescribing behavior. Did prescribing patterns change? Did cost decrease? Are people better or worse off for it?


I know I'm not a physician, but if anyone is looking to give me a gift anyway, here's something on my wishlist:





Ok, Ok, I know it's a shameless plug, but I'm turning 24 in a month and I need something to ease the pain!

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