Hospital purges 20 grocery carts of pharmaceutical gifts and donates it to Africa!

Published

From Yahoo News

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080119/ap_on_he_me/drug_trinket_roundup

By STEVE KARNOWSKI, Associated Press Writer Sat Jan 19, 6:42 AM ET

MINNEAPOLIS - When a Duluth-based operator of hospitals and clinics purged the pens, notepads, coffee mugs and other promotional trinkets drug companies had given its doctors over the years, it took 20 shopping carts to haul the loot away.

The operator, SMDC Health System, intends to ship the 18,718 items to the west African nation of Cameroon.

The purge underscored SMDC's decision to join the growing movement to ban gifts to doctors from drug companies.

SMDC scoured its four hospitals and 17 clinics across northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin for clipboards, clocks, mouse pads, stuffed animals and other items decorated with logos for such drugs as Nexium, Vytorin and Lipitor.

Trinkets, free samples, free food and drinks, free trips and other gifts have pervaded the medical profession, but observers say that's starting to change...

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Specializes in Government.

I think this is an excellent move. I have to staff a lot of health fair booths in my community health job. My booths are typically next to pharmaceutical reps. Wow, do I get an earful when "customers" are not around. It is all about how to get Dr. X to use their product and no tactic is too low. Flowers to the wife, sports gear for the Dr's kids, trips, staff lunches, you name it. Some talk about methods that approach stalking.

There needs to be some distance between the industry's interests and good medical practice.

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Specializes in icu/er.

man, i bet there are hundreds of small rual and urban community health centers/clinics here in the united states that are barely making it on skeleton budgets and supplies that would have loved a donnation such as that.

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It's a good step - Medicine is all about money today and not about taking care of patients.

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

Do African hospitals really need coffee cups, mousepads, stuffed animals and other items decorated with drug logos?

Seems like a donation of free drugs and medical equipment would be more useful.

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Specializes in LTC.
do african hospitals really need coffee cups, mousepads, stuffed animals and other items decorated with drug logos?

seems like a donation of free drugs and medical equipment would be more useful.

amen !

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man, i bet there are hundreds of small rual and urban community health centers/clinics here in the united states that are barely making it on skeleton budgets and supplies that would have loved a donnation such as that.

So true.

But that wouldn't have made the news. Seems to be a bit telling as to the mind-set of the hospital administration, eh?

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
So true.

But that wouldn't have made the news.

But the postage would have been a lot cheaper!

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But the postage would have been a lot cheaper!
lol

SDMC's effort was motivated by a desire to show patients that its 450 doctors were serious about keeping prescription drug costs down and making unbiased medical decisions, Irons said.
Oh please.

This was obviously a PR stunt. I can just see the suits pushing these 20 carts out the front door as the cameras flash. Afterward, they walk through their hospital-turned-Hilton lobby with the marble and fountains to retire to their lavish offices.

Hypocrites.

Irons said there shouldn't be a conflict of interest in Cameroon because the advertised drugs aren't available there.

Well, gee. Seems like that would be their genuine need. Ya think?
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Specializes in Government.
I can just see the suits pushing these 20 carts out the front door as the cameras flash. Afterward, they walk through their hospital-turned-Hilton lobby with the marble and fountains to retire to their lavish offices.

Yeah, I can see that too.

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Do African hospitals really need coffee cups, mousepads, stuffed animals and other items decorated with drug logos?

Seems like a donation of free drugs and medical equipment would be more useful.

That's what I was thinking. Lots of clinics and county hospital here in the US probably could have used the drug rep items.

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lol

Oh please.

This was obviously a PR stunt. I can just see the suits pushing these 20 carts out the front door as the cameras flash. Afterward, they walk through their hospital-turned-Hilton lobby with the marble and fountains to retire to their lavish offices.

Hypocrites.

Consider this. Not only do they get the publicity but they also get tax credit for this "donation." If they are a not for profit hosp they get credit toward the requirement to provide a certain amount of charitable service or donation.

The hospital wins in so many ways.

It makes me sick when I see "by this product and we will donate to Susan G. Colman foundation" (or some other charity)

It is a sales tactic plain and simple plus the retailer not the (shopper who thinks they are helping a good cause) gets a tax write off.

Contributing to charity by business is good. They should get a tax write off from it like anyone else. It is just plain sickening :barf01: to me though the way many of them use this to promote their business and sales.

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