Your friendly neighborhood pharmacist is the drug industry’s new sales partner

Yanking the big chain

Last year I told you about a new Walgreens drug adherence program.

I would call it outrageous, but I can’t believe it’s even legal!

In that program, an “agent” for Walgreens calls to encourage you to take your meds and refill prescriptions.

But the “agent” isn’t even a Walgreens employee. He’s been contracted by Walgreens to contact you. That means a third party has your prescription information. And what’s worse, they’ll likely use your information to persuade you to take every last pill you purchased at Walgreens.

That’s disgraceful. NOBODY should ever share your prescribing information.

But now we have a new twist on that plan. And it’s just as bad in a completely different way.

Secret persuaders

The Wall St. Journal reports that pharmacists are “going further than merely dispensing pills.” That’s because Big Chain Pharmacies are training their pharmacists to use “motivational interview techniques.”

To simplify, the WSJ article includes a four-panel cartoon. It dramatizes the wonderful benefits of consulting with a “motivational” pharmacist.

In panel one, the patient and pharmacist meet in a private office.

In panel two, the caption reads… “He checks if statins and blood-pressure drugs are prescribed, as recommended, for diabetes patients.”

In panel three… “If the patient agrees, he calls the physician to suggest prescribing these drugs if they are missing.”

And in panel four, the pharmacist puts a pill bottle in a bag. Absurdly, the patient seems to be reaching for it with both hands. It’s as if she can’t WAIT to take her new drugs! And the caption… “The program has contributed to a rise in patients being prescribed statins and blood-pressure drugs.”

It’s insane! The patient is diabetic, so he “motivates” her AND her doctor to add a statin and a blood pressure medication. Is this because she has high cholesterol and high blood pressure? No. It’s because it’s “recommended!”

So the pharmacist has rung up sales for two additional prescriptions. Way to be motivational, cartoon pharmacist! (I wonder if he told his cartoon customer that statins might raise her blood sugar and damage her muscles.)

The title of the WSJ article reads… “The Pharmacist Is In and Nudging You to Take Your Pills”

Nudging? That’s quaint. Call it what it is. Drug pushing!

I’m outraged by this. But I also find it very sad. I remember reading once that for 19 out of 20 years, consumers voted pharmacists the most trusted professionals. Looks like the Big Chain Pharmacies are hoping they can turn that trust into big bucks.

Sources:
“The Pharmacist Is In and Nudging You to Take Your Pills” Laura Landro, Wall St. Journal, 6/26/12, online.wsj.com