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MedpageToday.com REPORTS HERE that "many patients taking prescription drugs believe that pharmaceutical companies have too much influence over their physicians' prescribing practices, according to a new survey."

"...Consumer Reports found that the majority of those currently taking medications -- 69% -- had such concerns.  About half of the medication-users believed that their doctors were too eager to write a prescription when other nonpharmacological options are available."

"...trust between a doctor and a patient "is absolutely essential in getting patients to believe what their doctors are telling them. ... Any kind of loss of trust between doctor and patient is deleterious. That could mean patients don't heed instructions about taking their medications..."

"Almost half of the patients taking medications who were surveyed (47%) thought that gifts from pharmaceutical companies influenced their doctor's choice of drugs.

Most of them (81%) were concerned that physicians engaged in practices that resulted in being rewarded by pharmaceutical companies for writing lots of prescriptions for the company's drugs -- a practice that is illegal..."

"Surveyed patients were also worried about their physicians acting as paid spokespersons for drug companies (72%), speaking at industry conferences (61%), and getting free meals (58%)."

"Their fears may not be unfounded -- given that pharmaceutical companies are increasingly targeting primary care doctors rather than high-profile academicians to spread the word about their drugs....pharmaceutical companies are increasingly turning to eloquent community physicians, partly because academic doctors 'are asking too many questions.' ...the physician "who works in the community may not be as informed about the drugs and might be more willing to follow the line of the pharmaceutical company in telling others how to use those drugs."

"Indeed, 66% of patients reported receiving free samples of prescription medications, and 41% felt their doctors prescribed newer and more expensive drugs over proven generics."

"The survey found that monthly out-of-pocket patient spending is around $68 -- and 14% of patients spend more than $100 of their own money every month on prescription drugs."

"More than half of patients feel that their doctors don't consider their ability to pay when they prescribe. In fact, 64% of survey respondents didn't learn how much the prescription would cost them until they picked it up at the pharmacy. Only 6% were informed of the costs of prescription drugs while in their doctor's office."

"About 20% of patients reported asking their doctor for a drug they saw advertised on television. And physicians complied with those requests 59% of the time."

The article notes that it's "reasonable for patients to ask their physicians what, if any, arrangements they have with outside vendors, and what that relationship is."

"If the physician will not discuss it then it is time to find another physician."

 
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