Woman with MS finds neuro received generous pay from drug companies

[agate]

Some states now have "sunshine" laws enabling patients to find out whether their doctors have received drug company payments. This is a story about a woman with MS in Minnesota who found out her neuro had received $300,000 from drug companies between 2006 and 2008.

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[SalpalSally]

Wow, interesting story, Agate, thanks for posting it. If more patients would do what she did, we'd have a lot less cash cow Docs.

I wonder how many here are taking a, recommended by their Doc, MS Med, and he is receiving moneys and gifts from the mfg???

[Frog42]

I'm really glad that's illegal here in MA.

[Gabriella7]

Agate, do you know how one can research a doctor to see if he/she are on the Big Pharma payout? I feel certain my neuros are but I would like to see the official list.

Gabriella

[agate]

Apparently only a couple of states have a "sunshine law" in place:

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Those in other states have to wait until 2013 as is stated in the article in the link just posted:

The Physician Payments Sunshine Act requires companies to begin recording any physician payments that are worth more than $10 in 2012 and to report them on March 31, 2013. That includes stock options, research grants, knickknacks, consulting fees and travel to medical conferences at chi-chi hotels. The details will be posted in a searchable database starting Sept. 30, 2013.

The measure is based on a bill that was introduced more than two years ago by Sens. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Herb Kohl, D-Wis. The senators believe that physicians who receive benefits from drug and device makers are more inclined to prescribe the priciest products.

[Gabriella7]

In that article, it said that more NP's will be speaking at these events. It is already happening in Atlanta, Ga. At the past 3 events that Big Pharma sponsored here the speaker was a NP.

It just confirms my theory that my former neuro has been collecting a lot of money from Big Pharma company Biogen over the past 10 years as he has been pushing their drugs over all the others. In fact Avonex and Tysabri are the only drugs that he recommended I try. I even asked about trying Copaxone and he told me it wouldn't work for me.

I tried Avonex for 9 months and I wish I had delivered a baby instead!

Merry Christmas,
Gabriella