When drug sales reps pitch drugs to doctors, they often neglect to mention dangerous side effects

I think I’ve found the understatement of the year.

But first, the gritty details…

It seems that drug sales reps very often neglect to inform doctors about one little detail… Drug side effects.

Oops!

According to a new survey, about TWO-THIRDS of the time, sales reps left out details about a drug’s serious side effects. And this included drugs with black box warnings.

The law requires sales reps to tell doctors about potential adverse effects.

But let’s face it, any doctor who prescribes a drug based purely on a sales pitch is negligent. He’s naïve if he doesn’t follow up with his own research about side effects.

At BEST he’s naïve. At worst, he’s just not a good doctor.

And now for that understatement…

In one article about this survey, it was suggested that patients “may need to adopt a buyer beware attitude” about any prescription.

MAY need? Oh brother! The drug industry is the very definition of “buyer beware.”

Sources:
“What Adverse Events? Sales Reps Misinform Docs About Side Effects” Ed Silverman, Pharmalot, 4/11/13, pharmalot.com